HUMAN rights lawyer, Femi Falana, said the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has failed Nigerians over failure to deliver a constant supply of electricity, despite increasing tariffs.
Falana, while speaking on a television programme on Tuesday, April 30, described power policy as “the illegality of tariffs,” adding that the federal government and Adelabu could not defend the hike, paid by Band A customers from N68/KWh to N225/kWh.
The Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) also said Band A customers are expected to receive between 20 and 24 hours of electricity supply daily, while subscribers under Band B were to enjoy power supply 16 to 20 hours and those in Band C, 12 to 16 hours daily.
But Falana said the hike was imposed on the Nigerian government by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, noting: “The Minister of Power, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, has failed to address the question of the illegality of the tariffs.
“Section 116 of the Electricity Act 2023 provides that before an increase can be approved and announced, there has to be a public hearing conducted based on the request of the Discos to have an increase in the electricity tariffs. That was not done.
“Secondly, neither the minister nor the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has explained why the impunity that characterised the increase can be allowed.
“I have already given a notice to the Commission, because these guys are running Nigeria based on impunity and we can not continue like this.
“Whence a country claims to operate under the rule of law, all actions of the government, and all actions of individuals, must comply with the provisions of relevant laws.
“The increase was anchored on the directives of the Commission that customers in Band A will have an uninterrupted electricity supply for at least 20 hours a day. That directive has been violated daily. So, on what basis can you justify the increase in the electricity tariffs?”
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) alleged that the government was following instructions from IMG and World bank, adding: “Those two agencies insisted and they continue to insist that the government of Nigeria must remove all subsidies.
“Fuel subsidy, electricity subsidy and what have you; all social services must be commercialised and priced beyond the reach of the majority of Nigerians.
“So, government cannot afford to protect the interest of Nigerians, where you are implementing the neo-liberal policies of the BrettonWood institutions.”
