The Federal Government has ordered the Electricity Distribution Companies in the country to suspend the recent hike in tariff.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) issued the order on Tuesday night.
According to the NERC, the tariff suspension will be from September 28, 2020 to October 2, 2020.
The Order, No. NERC/209/2020, with the title: “NERC Order on suspension of the Multi Year Tariff Order 2020 for the electricity distribution licensees,” was signed by the NERC Chairman, James Momoh; and the Commissioner, Legal, Licensing and Compliance, Dafe Akpeneye, and addressed to the country’s DisCos.
The Federal Government directive to DisCos to suspend the new electricity tariff for two weeks followed an agreement reached by labour unions and the government.
The leadership of the labour unions, NLC and TUC, resolved, after a late night meeting with the government, to suspend their nationwide protest fixed for Monday, September 28.
The labour unions were demanding the reversal of the recent increases in the prices of petrol and electricity.
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The price increase saw the unit cost of electricity rise from about N33 per Kilowatt hour to about N66 while that of petrol increased from about N145 per litre to about N161.
The resolutions at the meeting, however, show that the labour unions may have resolved to accept palliatives for their members and other Nigerians in place of the price reversals.
Part of the resolution was the formation of a committee to review the electricity tariff within two weeks pending which the DIsCos were asked to suspend the tariff increase.