News

Labour threatens showdown as FG insists on electricity tariff hike

Published

11 months ago

April 6, 2024

The Federal Government, on Friday, insisted on the 240 per cent hike in tariff payable by power consumers in the band ‘A’ category despite calls for its reversal.

It also revealed that the subsidised power pricing regime would be for the short term, with a transition plan to achieve a full cost-reflective tariff within a period of three years.

However, the decision did not go down well with the Nigeria Labour Congress, which told the Federal Government to prepare for the consequences of the tariff hike, which it described as wicked and unpopular, stressing that since the government preferred to listen to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, it should be ready to face the consequences.

The Head of Information, NLC, Benson Upah, told one Saturday PUNCH, “We did say earlier that this tariff hike is insensitive and unpopular. So if the government elects to continue with the hike or persists in something that is evil, I’m sure it is equally prepared for the consequences of that evil.

“The manufacturers are saying this is going to hurt businesses and make the environment more hostile, and we also said so. There is no place in the world where high power tariffs have supported manufacturing. Not even in the developed world.

“So, it completely beats our imagination for the minister to have the audacity to say that the policy would continue. What this means is that the minister and the President are not in charge. It is saddening that the minister elected to pursue an unpopular policy.”

Upah added, “It shows that the minister and the President are not in charge. The people in charge are the World Bank and the IMF. They are the ones driving this highly injurious policy.

“So, our leaders should be prepared for the consequences of this highly injurious policy. That is what I’ll say about this issue for now.”

Manufacturers and the organised labour had kicked against the hike in tariff payable by about 1.9 million consumers, which was approved and announced by the Federal Government on Wednesday.

Subsidy on electricity was withdrawn completely from the tariff of consumers on the band A category, which constitute about 15 per cent of the total 12.82 million power consumers across the country.

The government announced the hike in electricity tariff at a press briefing in Abuja by NERC, adding that those affected would pay N225 per kilowatt-hour, up from the previous rate of N68/kWh, representing about 240 per cent increase.

The government stated that the decision took effect on April 3, 2024.

But the Organised Private Sector, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress kicked against the hike in tariff for power users and demanded that the decision be reversed.

They argued that the hike in tariff would send manufacturers out of business, worsen inflation and stifle small and medium enterprises, adding that there was no place in Nigeria currently enjoying up to 20 hours of power supply daily.

Band A power users are those who get up to 20 hours supply of electricity daily.

At a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, insisted that the Federal Government would continue with the new tariff regime for Band A consumers despite calls for its reversal.

He said this was because the government could no longer continue paying humongous sums as power subsidy, stressing that subsidy on electricity for 2024 would cost the government about N2.9tn.

The minister said, “We are in the subsidy pricing regime, whereby the government provides a large portion of the cost of producing, transmitting, and distributing power.

“I must tell you that as of today, before the introduction of the tariff increase, the government is subsidising nothing less than 67 per cent of the cost of producing, transmitting and distributing electricity in Nigeria.

“At the current exchange rate, this is going to translate into N2.9tn for 2024. This is more than 10 per cent of the national budget. The power sector is just a single sector out of the many sectors that the government has to attend to.”

Adelabu said other sectors and ministries were competing for government funding and that “it will be very insensitive on our part to force or compel the government to continue to subsidise at the rate of almost N3tn for the power sector alone. We just have to be realistic and considerate.”

He noted that by ending the subsidy for band A customers, the government would save about N1.4tn, adding that this fund would be channelled into the development of other sectors such as health, education, works, etc.

The minister argued that the tariff hike was pro-poor, as those affected were mainly residents who could afford the cost, but noted that subsidy on electricity was only going to be for the short term.

According to him, the Federal Government plans to end the subsidy on power within three years, and the withdrawal of subsidy from band A customers is just the pilot phase.

He said, “This tariff review conforms with our policy thrust of maintaining a subsidised pricing regime in the short run or the short term with a transition plan to achieve a full cost-reflective tariff for over a period of, let us say three years.

“I have mentioned it in a couple of media briefings that it is because of the government’s sensitivity to the pains of our people that we will not make us migrate fully into a cost- reflective tariff or remove subsidy 100 per cent in the power sector like it was done in oil and gas sector.

“This is more like a pilot for us at the Ministry of Power and our agencies. It is like a proof of concept that those that have the infrastructure sufficient enough to deliver stable power and enjoy 20 hours of light to be the ones to get tariff hike.”

News

It’s Awful For Akpabio To Humiliate Female Senators, Kingibe, Natasha;– Ex-Minister Ezekwesili

Published

1 hour ago

February 24, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Ex- Nigerian minister of education, Oby Ezekwesili, has slammed Senate president, Godswill Akpabio, over his alleged misconduct towards female lawmakers.

In a statement issued on Monday, Ezekwesili expressed concerns over Akpabio’s behaviour, citing instances where he allegedly humiliated female senators, including Natasha Akpoti and Ireti Kingibe.

Recall on Saturday that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan spoke out about the harassment and exclusion she has faced in the Senate, citing a pattern of behaviour that began after a nightclub incident last year.

In an interview with the Brekete Family, where Akpoti-Uduaghan had revealed that she had been denied privileges, pulled out of international activities, and even had her name struck out from a United Nations event she was nominated for.

The senator claimed that she had been self-funding her trips to international events, which she believed are important for her constituents, Nigerian women, and the country as a whole.

She had also alleged that her seat in the Senate was changed to a location where she would be less visible, suggesting that this was an attempt to silence her or eliminate her from being seen.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations came after Senate President Godswill Akpabio faced criticism for his sexist remarks against her, with over 300 women groups demanding an unreserved apology.

The incident highlights concerns about gender discrimination and verbal harassment in Nigeria’s political institutions.

Reacting in her statement, Ezekwesili encouraged women in public leadership to stand strong and continue to represent their constituents, emphasising that representation matters.

The former presidential candidate, also warned Akpabio that he would face consequences if he continued to harass women in public leadership.

The statement she shared on her X handle partly read: “I tweeted last year that if not for the rottenness of our Judiciary, Nigerians would not have an @Senator_Akpabio presiding over the upper house of our @nassnigeria – the Nigerian Senate @NGRSenate.

“That statement has been given proof by Mr Akpabio himself in the nearly 2 years of his “leadership” of the Senate.

“One issue stands out. Mr Akpabio implicitly thinks that his even more accomplished female colleagues must be humiliated in order for his ego to be assuaged.”

Ezekwesili added, “Is it not a shame that one day it is @NatashaAkpoti , another day @IretiKingibe and yet another day @NatashaAkpoti that are at the receiving end of the appalling misconduct of the topmost officer of our Legislature?”

“And we wonder why Nigeria shamefully places at the lowest neighborhood of the ranking of countries on Women in public leadership , specifically Legislature at 4.4%.

“I encourage the women in public leadership to never ever lose their Voice. Continue to stand strong in your commitment to citizens and prove that representation matters.

“All aspects of data do in fact show that representation matters a lot.”

The former Vice President of World Bank (Africa Region), warned Senate President to be prepared to face what would come to him next time he harasses any woman well-elected unlike him.

“Next time Mr Akpabio harasses any woman well-elected unlike him and representing her constituency @ the National Assembly or any woman at all anywhere in this country, he must get ready. Enough said.”

Guardian

News

BREAKING: Again , Dangote Slashes Diesel And Petrol Prices

Published

1 hour ago

February 24, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Again, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a reduction in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Diesel on Monday.

The refinery slashed the price of petrol from N960 to N890 per liter while diesel now sells at N1020 per liter from N1075

The latest development comes as Dangote refinery continues to ramp up production, positioning itself as a key player in Nigeria’s fuel market.

The price cut is expected to ease the burden on businesses and individual struggling with high transportation and Operational costs

News

Delta North: Court asked to declare Ned Nwoko’s seat vacant over illegal defection

Published

1 hour ago

February 24, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Federal High Court in Abuja has been asked to declare the Delta North Senatorial seat vacant, following the defection of Senator Ned Nwoko to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The court was urged to direct the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a bye-election in the Delta North Senatorial District within 60 days of delivering judgement in the matter.

The legal action was instituted by Senator Nwoko’s constituent and member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Marvis Ossai.

Aside from Senator Nwoko, the INEC, PDP, and the Senate were cited as defendants in the matter.

Upon the determination of the question by the court, he prayed among other reliefs, for “an order of this Honourable Court, directing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC– the 2nd Defendant – to conduct a bye-election into the Delta North Senatorial District of the Nigerian Senate within sixty (60) days from the date of the delivery of Judgement herein.

“An order of this Honourable Court declaring vacant the seat of Ned Munir Nwoko and cancelling his Certificate of Return issued to him by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“An order of this Honourable Court mandating the 1st Defendant, Nwoko, to refund into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation, forthwith, all the salaries, emoluments and allowances received by him since January 2025 until the date of the final judgement in this matter.

“An order disqualifying the 1st Defendant from standing election into any elective post under the amended 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria until and unless he complies with every term of the judgement in this suit.”

As well as, “An order mandating the 4th Defendant (Senate) to immediately give effect to the judgement of this Honourable Court.”

In a five-paragraph affidavit deposed to by one Ibrahim Isa, the plaintiff told the court that Senator Nwoko had on January 30, resigned from the PDP which was the political party on whose platform he was elected to occupy the Delta North Senatorial seat till 2027.

According to the plaintiff who told the court that he is from Oshimili North Local Government Area in Delta North Senatorial District, Nwoko’s continued stay in office after his defection would amount to a gross violation of the constitution.

“That since when the 1st Defendant decamped from the PDP up to the present moment of initiating the instant suit, there is never any division in the National Leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

“That the ideology of the 1st Defendant’s new party, All Progressives Congress (APC), to which the 1st Defendant now fully subscribes, does not bear any similarity or represent the political philosophy of the People’s Democratic Party [which is the basis upon which the Plaintiff resolved to cast his vote for and elected the Defendant in 2023.

“That the conduct of the Defendant in defecting from the People’s Democratic Party to All Progressives Congress has dealt a major blow to the fortunes of the Plaintiff’s Party, the People’s Democratic Party

“That the conduct of the 1st Defendant being challenged herein if not condemned and upturned by this Honourable Court will continue to encourage political harlotry, legislative rascality and destroys the reasons for the laws made to regulate the defection of National Assembly Members by the Constitution of Nigeria itself.

“That the continuous stay of the 1st Defendant at the Federal Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does no longer represent the Plaintiff’s interest or that of thousands of other members of our constituency who voted him in on the basis of our faith in our Party’s manifesto which they believed the 1st Defendant was capable of representing in the Federal Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“That the Defendant is now representing adverse interests of the people who fought the Plaintiff’s party tooth and nail [in the year 2023] to forestall the emergence of the 1st Defendant as the Member Representing DELTA NORTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT Federal Constituency on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP).

“That time is of the greatest essence in the instant application.
“It will be in the interest of justice for this Honourable Court to grant the prayers contained on the face of this Originating Summons.”

Meanwhile, the suit is yet to be assigned to any judge for a hearing.