Support Infographics Daily News Dotcom

Podcasts.

Tariff Hike: Don’t derail FG’s reform plan, Power Minister tells Labour

-

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, says any reversal in the hike of electricity tariff for Band A customers in the country will derail the reform agenda of the President Bola Tinubu administration for the power sector. Adelabu spoke on Tuesday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Aso Villa in Abuja.

His comments followed the nationwide picketing of the offices of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and distribution companies by the Organised Labour on Monday. On April 3, 2024, NERC raised electricity tariff for customers enjoying 20 hours power supply daily. Customers in this category are said to be under the Band A classification. The increase saw the customers paying N225 kilowatt per hour from the current N66, a development that has been heavily criticised by many Nigerians, considering the immediacy of the tariff hike and the current hardship in the land.
Following the outrage, NERC asked discos to cut down electricity tariff rate by 8.1% for customers under Band A category. The outrage, however, persisted with many Nigerians rejecting the reduction and demanding a total reversal of the tariff hike. The NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) subsequently picketed NERC offices and discos on Monday to press home their demands. When asked to respond to the position of the Organised Labour, the power minister said, “The first question was about the recent Labour unions’ peaceful protest with regards to the recently increased tariffs for Band A customers in Nigeria’s electricity supply industry. Let me first make it abundantly clear that we are in democracy so there are fundamental human rights. I cannot deny people their rights.
“It’s the right of the Labour to protest peacefully and to come up with their demands, from the perspective they saw what we did. It is clearly allowed, it is legitimate and it is understandable. So we cannot stop them from organising a peaceful protest or laying down their demands. Let me make that clear. President Bola Tinubu’s administration is also a listening government.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Arsenal 4-1 Newcastle: 'Efficient' Gunners showing 'no fear'

-
Image
  Arsenal beat  Newcastle  4-1 in the Premier League on Saturday. It was the Gunners' sixth successive victory in the league. They have scored 25 goals and conceded just three in that run. Arsenal are the sixth side to win their first six Premier League matches of a calendar year - the last three have won the title. "We are living the dream," Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard told TNT Sports as his side moved two points behind leaders Liverpool in third. "We have all dreamed of being here. You see every week how competitive it is and that is where we want to be - we want to fight for trophies." While Arsenal have won every game they have played in the Premier League in 2024, they did lose to Porto in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie in midweek, conceding a stoppage-time goal. But they responded in style with four goals in a 4-1 win against Newcastle on Saturday. "They look like a team really upset with the midweek performance. Their press a
Read more

Protest Erupts in Abuja Over Demolition of Homes by FCT Minister Wike

-
Image
  Residents of Ruga, a settlement along Airport Road in Abuja, staged a protest on Friday against the demolition of their homes by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. The demolition was part of the minister’s initiative, *Operation Sweep*, aimed at clearing areas within the capital deemed as nuisances and hotspots for criminal activities. The protest was led by prominent lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju, alongside Vincent Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMark. They accused Wike of carrying out the demolitions with malicious intent, claiming the task force destroyed numerous homes and property worth millions of naira. Adeyanju expressed concern for the displaced residents, many of whom had fled conflict zones in northern Nigeria, including Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states. He appealed to President Bola Tinubu to consider the hardships faced by these displaced individuals, most of whom are artisans struggling to survive. He condemned the demolitions as excessive and unjustified, urging the
Read more

Nigerian Lawmaker gets N500,000 bail on charges of assault, threat to life

-
Image
  Hon. Alex Mascot Ikwechegh, a member of the House of Representatives representing the Aba North and South federal constituency of Abia State, appeared before an Abuja Chief Magistrate Court in Kuje on Wednesday, charged with allegedly assaulting a bolt driver at his residence. Ikwechegh pleaded not guilty to the First Information Report filed by the Nigerian Police Force, which includes charges of abuse of office, assault, and threats to life. Following his plea, prosecution counsel Mr. A. Umar requested a date for a full hearing on the case. In response, Ikwechegh's lawyer made an oral application for bail, arguing that the charges were bailable and that the defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence under the 1999 Constitution. Magistrate Abubakar Umar Sai’id agreed to grant bail and set it at N500,000, requiring two sureties of the same amount. The court emphasized that the sureties must reside within its jurisdiction and provide utility bills as proof of residence.
Read more