Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) chief and Secretary General of the Textile Workers Union, Comrade Issa Aremu in a chat with The Guardian yesterday advised the electricity companies to revert to the old order of tariff as directed by the leadership of the National Assembly when labour embarked on protest against the hike of electricity tariff.

This is coming on the heels of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS’ call on the Federal Government to subsidize electricity cost, while admonishing government agencies to pay debts owed power companies.

The students in a statement by its Vice President, Oluwatosin Ogunkuade stated that the over N52billion owed by ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government and other debts owed by the National Assembly, the Armed Forces and others should be paid to Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry to assist in improving their services and prevent liquidation.

They lamented that the debt owed by these MDAs and others are bouncing back on residential consumers and has created constraints for the DISCOs and other allied industries.

Ogunkuade however, urged the electricity supply industries to improve on their efficiency and meter billings to ensure consumers pay for what they use.

NANS called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to bridge the gap between electricity consumers and supply industries.”
“MDAs debt and intervention fund must be paid to Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry to assist in improving their services and prevent liquidation and the need for Federal Government of Nigeria to subsidize electricity tariff until adequate stability and considerable percentage circulation of meter is achieved.”

Aremu maintained, “We call on the authorities particularly the generating and distribution companies to obey the legislative order and revert to the old tariff. Also we call on the stakeholders to take the advantage of the proposed public hearing to bring to the fore all the issues dealing with the value chains in the power sector.”