The Coalition for Affordable and Regular Electricity (CARE) is seeking a much lower electricity tariff that reflects the purchasing power of workers and the poor people of Nigeria.
The group also welcomes the recent
reduction of electricity tariff for Band A from N209/kWh to N160/kWh by the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC).
Comrade Chinedu Bosah, the group’s National Coordinator, in a statement, emphasised the need for other state regulatory agencies to follow the example of EERC.
He said:” The reduction of electricity tariff for Band A customers in Enugu State from N209 to N160/kWh has generated so much pushback from the Minister for Power, Adebayo Adelabu and organisations like ANED, GENCOS, NERC, APGC, etc, who all along favour high tariffs and huge profits for the power companies. EERC showed how it arrived at its tariff after analysing the tariff structure and taking into account the Enugu Distribution Plc (EEDC) and other industry stakeholders.
“Rather than for the pro-high tariff groups (Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, Association of Power Generating Companies, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Generating Companies, Minister for Power, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu etc.,) to analyse the methodology used by EERC, they are unanimous in claiming that EERC does not have the power to review tariff and went ahead to threaten that any state that reduces tariff will pay the difference.”
He said under the Electricity Act (EA), 2023 and Enugu State Electricity Law, 2023, EERC has the power to review the electricity tariff in Enugu State just like other state regulatory agencies.
He wondered about the regulatory functions of EERC, whether it can regulate the activities of the Distribution Company in the state, which includes the electricity tariff payable by consumers in the state.
He said that if EERC had increased the electricity tariff, it would have been commended and endorsed by all anti-electricity consumers.
He claimed that the privatisation of the power sector in 2013, the only major preoccupation of the so-called electricity regulatory agency, has been incessant tariff hikes at the expense of electricity consumers and the working people.
He added:” We warned during the Jonathan-led government, which carried out the privatisation, of the terrible consequences of the policy and predicted that the only thing privatisation would bring to the table is exorbitant tariff rates at the expense of not only ordinary people but also the development of the power sector, and we have been vindicated.
“We do not see the economic sense in subjecting the working people to poverty minimum wage of N70,000 monthly and force them to pay high tariff rate of N209 (N229.9 after VAT), something that translates to paying more than N30,000 monthly if electricity consumption is 150 units monthly while some others within Band A communities who are not metered are forced to pay about N113,000 monthly.
“The whole subsidy claims by the Tinubu-led government is a ruse and smokescreen to keep the prices so high to guarantee huge profit for the power companies and the extravagant lifestyle of top government functionaries.
“Hence, we challenge the Tinubu-led government and NERC to open the subsidy claims to public scrutiny by a democratic, independent panel of workers, trade unions and civil society organisations. It takes two to tango, any pricing must take into consideration the purchasing power of the vast majority, anything short of this is unfair and unacceptable- electricity is a right and not a privilege.
