Electricity
DisCos justifies electricity tarrif hike, says Nigerians enjoy 20-hour supply
The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, ANED, has insisted that some Nigerians get at least 20 hours of supply amid the recent hike in electricity tariffs.
Sunday Oduntan, the Executive Director of ANED, disclosed this in an interview on Channels Television on Saturday.
Recall that on Tuesday last week, the federal government approved a tariff increase for Band A customers getting at least 20 hours of power supply.
Oduntan justified the hike by stating that the 11 electricity distribution companies serve their customers for 20–24 hours.
He said the hike affects only the rich in Nigeria, not the poor.
“I am a customer of two discos; when I am in Abeokuta, Egba Land, I am not on Band A but Band D, so I get less than 8 hours.
“When I am in Abuja, I live in Sunny City Estate. It is never less than 20 hours per day. I have lived there for ten years.
“NERC should be commended for having the courage to look at the true cost of power. What they have done is remove subsidies for 15 percent of electricity customers. Why should we be subsidising electricity for a man, for instance, with Royce rolls?” He queried.
NERC had announced that 481 feeders across the 11 Discos are currently in Band A, and customers are getting at least 20 hours of power supply.
Meanwhile, Nigerians have condemned the tariff hike.
The Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, Lagos Chambers of Commerce, Abuja Chambers of Commerce, and other organisations had, in separate statements, kicked against the new tariff increase.
However, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, said in a briefing on Friday that the government would save 52 percent on power subsidies following the tariff hike for 15 percent of electricity customers.
