The House of Representatives on Tuesday directed the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission and distribution companies in the country to halt any plans to further increase electricity tariff.
It also summoned NERC and and all ‘Discos’ operating in the country to appear before lawmakers to explain why an upward review of tariff was necessary at a time consumers complained of poor supply of electricity.
In a resolution passed unanimously during its plenary, the House further asked NERC and distribution companies to “immediately begin the provision and installation of pre-paid metres to every consumer nationwide.”
The House passed the resolution after debating a motion moved by a member from Plateau State, Mr. Solomon Baren.
He said handlers of the power sector and the distribution companies were taking Nigerians for a ride by contemplating another tariff hike when the reality on the ground was that electricity supply had not improved.
Part of the motion reads,”The House further notes that power generation and distribution in Nigeria is in a state of comatose, leading to the closing down of many industries, thereby creating unemployment in our dear country and hampering the development of small and medium scale enterprises.
“That this House indeed resolved against further collection of flat rates or service fees by Discos, which were termed illegal and not in tandem with best practices.
“That NERC had directed Discos to comply with the above resolve.
“That these Discos are about devising another way of collecting this monies under another guise.”
The House noted that about two years after the distribution companies took over power distribution in the country, they had not added any infrastructure to the sector to warrant frequent tariff hikes.
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