The Senator representing Osun Central, Olubiyi Fadeyi, has lamented that he spends the sum of one million naira each on both power and purchase of diesel monthly.
Fadeyi made this known at the investigative hearing on the ‘need to halt the proposed increase in electricity tariff,” on Monday in Abuja.
Fadeyi stated that the moving of customers to Band A was not justified as customers were not getting enough electricity supply.
The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission had during the week approved an increase of 340% in electricity tariff for customers under the Band A classification.
According to the NERC’s Vice Chairman, Musliu Oseni, Band A, customers will begin to pay N225 kilowatt per hour from the current N66.
According to NERC, Band A customers are those who enjoy 20 hours of electricity supply daily. Further checks revealed that customers under this classification represent 15 per cent of the 12 million electricity customers in Nigeria.
The NERC Vice Chairman however clarified that the review would not affect customers on the other bands.
He said, “Honourable minister, you’re a hardworking man and you’re putting in your best. But people are not getting value for the Band A power distribution.”
Earlier, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, in trying to justify the increase in the price of electricity said Nigerians who were moved to Band A now spend less money on the purchase of diesel and petrol to fuel their generator.
Fadeyi, in response to this, said, “I spend N1m on electricity and another N1m on diesel This is excluding how much I spend on my businesses.
“If the electricity was good, I wouldn’t spend that much on fueling my generator.”
Fadeyi added that the NERC should put more effort into performing its regulatory role to allow for effectiveness.