See statement from the Senate below;

“Today, the 8th Senate directed the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to immediately suspend the February 1st, 2016 tariff hikes, which are estimated to be upwards of 40 per cent.

This move is necessary because any increase in cost, without the necessary improvement in service delivery by the power companies is unacceptable.

Furthermore, the power distribution companies must work to ensure that every establishment in Nigeria is provided with capabilities for metered billing. Doing this would end the sharp practice of arbitrary billing, which estimates the power consumption of Nigerians in the generation of their monthly bills.”

The senate on Tuesday asked the ministry of power, the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), and electricity distribution companies to immediately suspend the increase in electricity tariff by 40 percent. Last week, there were protests across the country against the increase in electricity tariff, which kicked in on February 1.

Acting on the call of Nigerians for a reversal of the new electricity tariff regime, Suleiman Nafiz, a senator who represents Bauchi north, urged the senate to immediately intervene in the situation. He also asked the senate to probe how funds allotted to electricity companies had been spent, and to look into factors hindering the optimal functioning of the power sector.

Making his contribution, Dino Melaye, a senator from Kogi west, observed that the latest increase in electricity tariff was the fourth since the privatisation of power. “We ask for an immediate reversal of the 40 percent increase in electricity tariff because it is arbitrary,” he said.

Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president, also ventilated his opinion against the new tariff regime. “As a country on life support, we do not need to add to the suffering of the people,” he said. “For me this tariff increase is ultra-wicked and unconscionable. We must reverse it immediately.”

The senate, on a prayer by Abiodun Olujimi, thereafter, asked NERC and the ministry of power to immediately suspend the implementation of the 40 percent increase in electricity tariff. After the motion had been taken, the upper legislative chamber adjourned to February 23 to give its sub committees on appropriation time to tidy up the 2016 budget.

Danjuma Goje, chairman of the senate committee on appropriation, had asked the senate for more time to submit his report on the budget.

Read more at: https://www.thecable.ng/senate-tells-nerc-to-suspend-increase-in-electricity-tariff

Good news

No love between the executive and the legislature .

---

Suddenly!?

Good news, they should as well be sanctioned like MTN and made to pay the sum of N1Trillion as fine for poor service delivery

I think this is better

APC is a house divided on its own. Not minding all that Fashola begged them. A child that says his Mama no go sleep...him too no go sleep.

This is a victory for the common man in the streets. It's like the common sense trend has infected the senate fully.... kudos to the senators...

OKKO:
APC is a house divided on its own. Not minding all that Fashola begged them.
A child that says his Mama no go sleep...him too no go sleep.

This is not about APC it is about separation of power among arms government

Fashola will not heed sound advice. Watch how he will call a press conference, where he will rain insults on the Senate

Any refund for me wey don load 6k already this month?

Bad news! darkness loom again

Nice!

Fashala ntoooor

Good news for a change from the senate

hinwazaka:
Fashola will not heed sound advice. Watch how he will call a press conference, where he will rain insults on the Senate

Has he insulted the senate before or you are just an hater?

Nigeria is a wonderful place to be.

Now the senate has ordered that the electricity tarriff should not be increased, (his means they revert back to the former tariff inclusive of the N750 that is being paid regardless of whether you had light or not.

Either way the govt is bent on making the citizens suffer.

They increase the tariff or we continue to pay estimated bills + N750

This is a story which says can any good come out from the Nigerian senate. Anyways this a good sone and a welcome development coming g from the Senate. They should not only make a statement t but further put this into law !!

Great

Oh wonderful

Nice move

This Senate can order anything! Corrupt toothless bulldog.

It will be more effective if NLC can declare a strike action to force them to revert to old tariff till prepaid metres are provided to all

Bad News for IPOB

Better

hinwazaka:
Fashola will not heed sound advice. Watch how he will call a press conference, where he will rain insults on the Senate

Fashola is a cultured Omoluabi as well as a Learned Silk, I doubt if he'll do that as he knows the repercussions of such.

this no b good news at all.... the 800naira i buy never finish since january... and i pay service charge of 750 naira.... the fixed charge high pass the light i dey use... please its no to fixed charges ......... cos with this e clear say service charge don surface again.. and the 800 naira unit go carry me till march... meaning say i go pay additonail 1k5 by march and na just 800 naira i buy oh... una see wahala... where MR common sense... 750 +1500=2250 and na just 800 narai i never fit use finish.. so who is fooling who?

Fixed charges are back!

Never give orders that can't be enforced that is what the Senate has just done.

I concur with the senate on this. these estimated bills are killing us. let them provide prepaid meter..

Why can't they work on making something as easy as metering work first before they increase tariff so as to work on something harder (to them) like power generation and distribution