FG Approves Extension of New Electricity Tariffs Suspension by One Week  

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Obiajulu Joel Nwolu

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The Federal Government and the organised labour yesterday agreed to extend the suspension of the new electricity tariffs by one week.

The decision was reached on Sunday during a meeting between the FG team and the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.

Recall that the government had on September 28 postponed the implementation of the new tariffs by two weeks to its review by the technical committee after a meeting with organised labour, which kicked against the spike in petroleum and electricity prices.

The FG team led by the Secretary to the Government of Federation, Boss Mustapha in a meeting with organised labour at the Presidential Villa banquet hall also agreed to distribute one million meters to reduce the metering gap in the country.

The distribution which is scheduled to begin this week expects to distribute 6 million meters to Nigerians free of charge based on the funding by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

It was agreed that the cost of the meters will be recovered from the electricity distribution companies.

Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige while briefing newsmen after the meeting said, “The two-week extension for electricity tariffs which expired this week will be extended by another one week.”

Also agreed upon was the reduction of the tariffs by 10 percent for band A, 10.5 percent for band B and 31 per cent for band C.

He added, “The immediate relief would be provided to citizens for a 2 to 3-month period (not later than 31st of December, 2020), being the timeline for the conclusion of an extended scope of work for the Technical Committee.”

According to Ngige, the approximately N1.7 billion per day subsidy that was being spent on the NESI prior to the September 1st tariff transition would be inserted into the national budget.

In implementing payment discipline measures for the DISCOs, the government agreed to ensure that the salary for electricity workers shall be protected in the revised payment waterfall structure for the NESI.

The ad hoc committee was instructed to work from October 12 to ensure that all outstanding issues are implemented.