A Nigerian Energy Consultant has expressed displeasure with the increase in electricity tariff by the Distribution Companies (DISCOs).
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, Dr. Yemi Oke likened the increment in electricity tariff to advanced fee fraud.
“I identify with the masses because their agitations are genuine.
“But what I don’t understand about the DISCOs is that, what is the position of the increment under the law?.
“The law says you meter before increasing tariff, but they haven’t done the metering,” he said.
Insufficient Megawatt
The energy consultant further noted that there were three institutions under the power sector reforms 2005 – the NRC, Rural Identification Fund/ Agency and Power Consumers’ Assistance Fund (PCAF).
“The PCAF should be factored in, at any time there is an increase or adjustment in tariff.
“Nobody is talking about that. The fund hasn’t been set up. It is under part eight of the law from section 83-87.
“The DISCOs must make extensive consultation with the stakeholders, different categories of consumers before increasing the tariff,” he emphasised.
Dr. Oke, however, supported the mild nationwide protest carried out by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday, saying that “labour is fighting because of the tariff, but there are different categories of consumers. It is not the intention of labour to fight for the commercial consumers (companies), but those who consume a bit of the megawatt”.
Providing solutions to the hike in electricity tariff, Dr. Oke said that “there is needless competition and tension for the insufficient megawatt that is being generated and distributed from the DISCOs.
“We need to focus on increasing the production, focus on centralised governance structure that makes the NRC the only company that regulates and gives license and labour should also engage the stakeholders as to what is provided in the law”.
