The leadership of the National Assembly has waded into the controversy on the planned hike in electricity tariffs from July 1st, 2020 and succeeded in convincing the Distribution Companies(DISCOs) to defer the plan till the first quarter of 2021.
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and other principal Officers of the two Chambers met at the National Assembly with the Chief Executives of the government electricity regulatory body and DISCOs across the country.
Also in attendance were the Chairmen of the Committees on Power from the Senate and House of Representatives.
The National Assembly leaders were emphatic at the meeting that the timing of the planned hike was wrong even though they had not much issue with the need to introduce a cost reflective tariffs for the power sector to attract the much needed investment.
In the course of the meeting, the DISCOs too admitted that they were not well prepared for the planned hike in tariffs even though they so much desired the increase.
In a press statement signed by Special Adviser (Media) to President of the Senate, Ola Awoniyi, the meeting agreed to defer the planned hike till first quarter of next year while the leadership of the National Assembly promised to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari on the issue.
Senator Lawan said between now and the first quarter of next year, the National Assembly will work together with the DISCOs to ensure measures are put in place to support the eventual increase in tariffs.
Lawan said the government has been doing a lot as part of its obligations to provide some form of Intervention.
In the same vein, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila said the National Assembly is on the same page with the DISCOs on the issue of cost reflective tariffs.
The representatives of the DISCOs said if the planned hike is eventually deferred till next year, the government should continue to bear the difference in the present tariff and what was considered as the appropriate tariff.
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