Electricity tariff: F G makes u-turn as Amosun distributes 500 transformers

[MrVan]

By DAUD OLATUNJI, Abeokuta

Indication emerged yesterday that  Federal Government  might have made a u-turn  on the  scope of  the  proposed increase in the electricity tariff ,leaving out  people in rural areas and low income earners in the country.

The  Minister of Power, Professor Bart Nnaji  gave the hint  in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital at the flag-off of the distribution of 500 transformers procured by  communities in the state.

The Minister who was represented  by Director of Power in his ministry, Sanusi Garba, declared that the new tariff will bring about lower rates for rural as well as urban "less well-to-do" dwellers.

He further  explained that the new tariff regime which  will  come into effect by June 1st  this year will end the era of estimated bills hitherto experienced by consumers in the country.

Ït is very important to inform the public here present that, the new tariff would result in lower rates for rural dwellers and the urban less well-to-do. Consumers with relatively higher levels of consumption would pay appropriate rates which are significantly lower than the cost of self generation.

"The  regulator has removed fixed charges and meter maintenance charges.  Within  a short time frame, estimated billing would be thing of the past as PPM  would  be made available to consumers" Nnaji said.

In his remarks , the  State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun,  said that no society can develop without adequate power supply.

He  noted  that the breakthroughs in other fields of human endeavours such as medicine, engineering, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and industrial development of countries like Japan, China and Korea are hinged on adequate supply of electricity.

Amosun said "any nation that cannot provide adequate energy, particularly, electricity, is not capable of industrial development," regretting that the poor power supply in the country had taken a toll on commercial activities and inhibited the growth of  Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs).

He declared that electricity was a propeller of economic and technological development, which must be continuously available and commended the Federal Government for the liberalisation of the power industry in Nigeria through issuance of licenses to private organisations and  state governments to generate and distribute electricity.

Vanguard Nigeria