The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, has noted that the increase in electricity tariffs is the first major policy the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is coming up with, describing same as “a painful pill,” which consumers have to “swallow.”
Fashola disclosed this Monday during the second monthly meeting with stakeholders in the power sector in Lagos, where he also inspected some projects at the Alagbon Transmission and Distribution Complex.
Fashola’s comments came at a time Nigerian workers under the aegis of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, joined by Civil Society Organizations embarked on peaceful protests against the policy which has grounded commercial activities in several cities in the country.
His words, “Importantly, I understand that people who have been disappointed over a long time will feel a sense of concern that again tariffs have gone up. But the truth is that these tariffs ought to have been there from day one. I don’t know why the government of yesterday was not courageous enough to tell us this was the price.
“It is a painful pill that I must appeal that we swallow. It is like quinine and malaria. It’s painful; it’s not sweet, I know that, but I do it because we are not left with many choices. This is the first major decision in power that this administration has taken. There are other problems.
“I can only appeal for some understanding and some trust that we do this in the best interest of our country. It is a hard decision, but I think down the line, we will have cause to look…”
The minister, who faulted the way the privatisation of the power sector carried out by the immediate past administration of Goodluck Jonathan, said the sector was being plagued by several problems including gas supply shortfall and transmission issue.
Fashola, while responding to a question on what the problems in the sector were, said, “The problem is everywhere. The problem is with us. The problem is with gas. The problem is with transmission. The problem is with the way the privatisation exercise itself was conducted.
“But as I have said before, I am not going to lament what has happened in the past. I am going to move on with it. So, the first move we have made when we accessed the situation, nobody was happy with it when we took over.
“This is a problem that has been here for 16 years, if we put it mildly. It is a problem that has been here 100 years ago, if we put it really extremely. I have been here for less than a 100 days, and I think we can solve this problem if you give us the tools that we need to do it. I think that this problem can be solved, and the day that we feel that it cannot be solved, I will gladly come and tell you that I don’t think it will work,” he stated.
culled:vanguard
Na wah!!!
Just do d needful and give us d change u promised.
ReplyDeleteMy annoyance is that d light is not even steady. In my area,they are still rationing light,one day off and one day on..imagine!even the one day on,u won't see light for complete 3hrs out of the 24hrs a day. And yet we pay bills every month. Now,we r gonna even pay extra for services we don't get??? Pathetic!
DeleteHa.i regret voting for this party.2019 come quickly please .this isn't what they promised us
ReplyDeleteSo you'd rather keep the thieves in power? ? We are still trying to get money they stole back
DeletePlease read a news paper sometime it's not everyday gossip
Shut your mouth! Do you know where you would have been if the past administration was still in power.
DeleteThings are getting better and you are complaining.
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ReplyDeleteAnd just so u know, i'm preparing my defence as y'all wanted!
DeleteUntil then, I urge y'all to stay put. I only logged in this nite (just now) to go thru the posts & saw the memo.
I'll clear the air in no time.
Haters shd calm their tities until then! No need to reach multiple orgasms ...yet!
*Ghanaman signing out*
Where did u lift dis one from again?? give credit oooo *pullingurears*
DeleteGhanaman, we no see u for ihn, wetin happen na? U Las las gree get shame, I see.
DeleteCopy and paste!...
DeleteI wonder where you copied this one from...
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ReplyDeleteGhanaian, I bet you are not Nigerian. What nlc and tuc is simply saying is let our money commensurate with what we use. Simple, install prepaid meters and monitor it. You don't give people light you slam them estimated bill then to add salt to injury you are increasing the tarrif. That is not fair.
DeleteFashola the elitist.
ReplyDeleteWe should accept hike without commensurate improvement in electricity supply is a very bitter pill to swallow.
If there was light then it would be easy to swallow
DeleteBut when your generator is still on almost all day and the bill is high, then it's indeed a bitter pill
If there was light then it would be easy to swallow
DeleteBut when your generator is still on almost all day and the bill is high, then it's indeed a bitter pill
He really didn't say anything... Infact he said nothing!
ReplyDeleteMumu talk. We dey no money 4 dis country and una dey talk dis rubbish.
ReplyDeleteThis man doesn't know what he is saying
ReplyDeleteWhy must it be the #masses who must pay? Why must we be @ the receiving end? Why not do take from you people's outrageous allowance and balance it out or something. So a civil servant who earns 18K, is the salary which is barely enough going to be increased with the increase in the tariff? What's the way convenient way forward?
ReplyDeleteWhy won't the masses pay? Don't they use electricity? Are they not the ones that will buy energy consuming fake bulbs?
DeleteThey earn 18k monthly yet they all have iphones and macbook. Please,select your priority.
High tariff, still no light, abeg make una swerve.
ReplyDeleteAs always he would use big words to cover up his deceit.
ReplyDeleteI have never liked this man and never.
He is the biggest thief.
What has the increase got to Do with power generation?
I really don't blame him though it's all Mr.Presidents fault for handing out 3 big portfolios that ordinarily should be manned by like 6 persons to one suya -souping talking man.
I won't be surprised if he decides to build toll gates on every street to increase revenue.
Madam go outside Nigeria and see that you dnt have one tenth of the tolls that are there . Just in Dubai alone there are tolls on every major highway, you just dnt see it because every car has a tag so automatic censors read d tags as d car drives by and the persons balance reduces . Go and do your investigation . The bitter truth is we need funds to move the country forward . Just unfortunate what we had was looted
DeleteHe doesnt like u either.
Delete@journey through life..... What kind of comparison is that? Nigeria n Dubai???? Really? Can u compare their standards of living? Is Dubai a developing economy like Nigeria? Please next time, let ur comparison be done on a level playing field. Hmmmm
DeleteJourney through life ,how can you compare Nigeria to Dubai ,abeg that joke is expensive,when did dubai start see how far they have gone ,see Nigeria that has been since 1960 how far .Give people the basics first ,yes abroad we pay bills lots of bills but yet they made life easy and simple ,you pay for these bills without tears.Nigeria still have plenty of money to get things done in the right way ,let them start with themselves and their expensive lifestyle
DeleteFashola, our in-law pls note that BEDC has refused to give us good light in warri. They have started their own protest . They give light for 2 hours and take it for close to 12 hours. We are pissed up and tired of deprived. To add insult to injury they still charge meter maintainance fees. All we are saying is give us constant and good light. Before they take for 6 hours and give for 6 hours but now they give for 2 hours and take for about 12 hours. We are tired of this useless abs razz company. Why won't they misbehave, wether people have light or not they will collect free 750 naira at the end of the month. Stella pls don't let this comment disappear, POST it.
ReplyDeleteShe has posted it and she will repost part of it on Saturday/sunday.
DeleteI tot u ave sense,neva knew that sense is xpired..fool..we all have being fooled for long..and we wl continue to fool ourselve in dis country.
ReplyDeleteMc pinky
Fashola, our in-law pls note that BEDC has refused to give us good light in warri. They have started their own protest . They give light for 2 hours and take it for close to 12 hours. We are pissed up and tired of beeing deprived. To add insult to injury they still charge meter maintainance fees. All we are saying is give us constant and good light. Before they take for 6 hours and give for 6 hours but now they give for 2 hours and take for about 12 hours. We are tired of this useless and razz company. Why won't they misbehave, wether people have light or not they will collect free 750 naira at the end of the month. Stella pls don't eat or let this comment disappear, POST it.
ReplyDeleteNigerians talk too much. GO OUT AND PROTEST FOOLS. INTERNET GANGSTERS AND LAWYERS
ReplyDeleteIf dis will be d price to pay soo be it my que is y is it d masses dey re feeling dis? All dis our @ d top wats their sacrifice to dis struggle? Fashola I knw u mean well cos since u came into power I knw u were gonna suck us try wit tax payment if only CHANGE will be visible
ReplyDeleteI have spoken
there is issues.
ReplyDeleteThats for people that pays nepa bills. I cant even remember the last time i paid
ReplyDeleteJust get an engineer to work on ur meter amd shikena u re free to go. Why do i need to pay for light when it comes only twice a week. Nonsense..
Oh puleezz Mr Fashola, let's get something real here. I don't for a minute buy the fact that it's a necessity that the tariff must be increased in other to generate adequate electricity. There are ways by which you can generate the funds needed to fund the so - called tarrif.
ReplyDeleteDid you just ask me how? OK, here goes
1: slash your ambiguous paychecks.
2: Ensure that all employees of the ministry pays for their use of energy. (Am baffled they don't pay.)
3: You said it's a bitter pill we all have to swallow, Sir, please be the first, swallow that pill and while at it, add flagyl to it.
Will this new tariff ensure constant energy? How about the 750 fixed charge(simply fraudulent ) will it be cancelled.
Plus the outrageous estimated bills. (Even when thousands of people have paid for prepaid meter yet the ministry choose not to deliver it.
This is ministry is fraudulent in every aspects.
#fasholadoesntfitintheministry#
*Ayah Shehu *
Lmao @add flagyl to it.
DeleteHehehe. Kita ka chi gi fo?
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, we are in trouble. First, after normal salary tax, dey now debit for every transaction. U have seen one as high as 45k.now this. Smh
Stopeet already....It would av bin better if one sees y hes Paying extra...Ure charging mre yet power is worse dan ever.
ReplyDeleteI don't care about the hike, all I need is steady power supply.
ReplyDeleteWe wanted change, you guys are dropping the change hot hot.
ReplyDeleteI no blame you sir, just that the poor masses always suffers for everything.
@ Fashola our in law #lmao!!!!
ReplyDeleteOga Fashola we are ready to pay more but first thing first. Prepaid meter to all even down to the rural areas. We don't want estimated bills.
ReplyDeleteSteady power supply and not paying for what is not available.
Oga Fashola we are ready to pay more but first thing first. Prepaid meter to all even down to the rural areas. We don't want estimated bills.
ReplyDeleteSteady power supply and not paying for what is not available.
Make una vote for change now. They have change everything from good to worst. Yeye government. Fashola did not say anything to emeliorate the suffering of the masses. Give us light not grammar. U know say your government na hard one o. Our eye see wian! when u be governor. I beg sha give us light.
ReplyDeleteFashola biko shut up!...
ReplyDeleteMust you people mention Jonathan's name in all una failures??...
Nonsense country!...
Story story
ReplyDeleteWe are pleading for you guys to bring it down please
ReplyDeleteWe are in trouble.
ReplyDeleteNigeria is in trouble
Is this the change they promised?
Nigerians like cheap and free things. Good things don't come cheap.
ReplyDeleteAsk people in the UK how much they pay monthly for electricity bills. No. Body will tell you to switch off the gadgets you re not using. Even if you are dying and your credit is burnt you are disconnected no sentiments, no bribing of anyone, no illegal connection.
In Nigeria, someone is travelling for 2 months and leave every thing in the house on, bulbs,tv,radio,fan etc
If everyone in Nigeria was paying for bills,it won't be dat expensive but you can't even quantify how much people connected to illegal sources and are not paying for electricity.
We are corrupt and wasteful in this country and that is our major problem. It is even a bigger problem when we refuse to accept that we are the cause of our problems.
Nigerians buying electrical gadgets don't even consider the amount of current that powers it,,,all they think about is "give me the biggest one, the most expensive one" so I can show off.
ReplyDeleteIt is now the big boys that buy 4door fridge/freezers. Everyone runs and buys it,,, you plug electric iron and step out to answer call for 1hr.
Use ring boiler and allow the water to boil till it dries up. Plug electric stove and travel. Etc.
U have said nuffin sir.
ReplyDeleteEnd time lamentations by end time minister.
ReplyDeleteDis naija have turned to endurance country. Enduring and smiling
ReplyDeleteAnon 23.06, I think it is not fair to make such comparisons and conclusions.
ReplyDeleteDo you think Nigerians will protest if power supply was constant or close to it?
Do you have an idea of how much people spend on petrol/diesel monthly despite paying their bills?
To what end is this increment?
We hope it is a lasting solution and not business as usual?
We need guarantees and assurances that after the ìncrement, epileptic power supply will be a thing of the past.No more issues with transformers, indefinite black outs and yada yada yada.
It is not funny when you pay for services and don't enjoy same.
In the UK, you charge your meter key and you have light.If you don't charge, no light.It is that simple and straightforward.
No manipulation, no inflated bills, no abracadabra unlike the thieves here who will give you light for 2days and slam you with a bill of N20,000.00.
Oga Fash, after swallowing the painful pill, hope the pill cures every every.
I remember warning you people about higher tariff. That was how he milked Lagos residents and property owners dry. Yet, Lagos does not look like it is supposed to be. Deceitful innocent look. Nigerians, make una face una change!
ReplyDeleteIf only there'll be near to constant power, if only every home gets a prepaid metre, then you can increase tariff and people won't bother much. Give us the electricity first.
ReplyDeleteFor those living in the cities.
ReplyDeleteAnon, ask people in the UK how much their minimum wage is.
ReplyDeleteSo so blame blame and no work. APC should shut the fuck up. This change is not even favouring anyone at all self.
ReplyDeleteIf there can be light for 19 hours a day. I dont mind paying up to N10,000 for the month.
Eka Joy: ain't nothing like minimum wage,,, how many hours a day can you work? No food for Lazy man. No oil companies to protest for and they will release free money to share,,,No one to easily connect illegal power lines. Guess what??? Nigerians claim they have low minimum wage but an average Nigerian has a very expensive phone blackberry,iphones,macbooks etc a jobless person at that. It is not a question of priority instead of poverty. Someone, will be squatting,havent paid school fees,won't agree to pay hospital bill but yet buys any current phone that is out,uses mac powder and lipstick. Wears designers and fixes weaves that costs above 100pounds. In the UK, people are not that stupid. Who will even squat you sef?
ReplyDeleteWhirlwind: you have a very valid point. It still boils down to corruption if the people that have been religiously paying there bills will now be targeted by these NEPA officials will rather use them as scape goats, instead of encouraging them with incentives they will now double your bill and still won't give you light. It is a whole lot of trouble in Nigeria. In an estate where people have agreed to pay a certain amount for a big generator, some people will refuse to pay and yet they are the ones that enjoy it more. You see people that will pay tracking to work while the ones that didn't pay will be driving by with their range rover. That is why i said that sometimes it is not about the financial state, most people think they don't need to pay for light,water, hospital bills etc
But I still believe that if you buy your nepa credit card and have your constant light until it finishes then more people will do it and they will learn to reduce load of electricity.
Just like call recharge cards,,, if you wanna talk for 2hrs it is your credit going.
Who does that BRF? No light you said pay more. For why? How can people mpay more for what they barely see or use? I use to be a fan BRF, no fall my hand oh... Have Bubu given you cough syrup to sip?
ReplyDelete#thatnigerdeltagirl