Manufacturers, Labor Unite Against 240% Tariff Hike, Demand Electricity Subsidy
Manufacturers and organised Labour have kicked against the Federal Government’s 240 per cent hike in the tariff payable by electricity users enjoying a 20-hour power supply.
They insisted on the electricity subsidy, warning that its removal would send manufacturers out of business and worsen inflation.
The subsidy on electricity has been withdrawn completely from the tariff payable by power consumers in the Band A category, who constitute about 15 per cent of the total number of power users across the country.
The government announced the hike in the electricity bill at a press briefing in Abuja by NERC on Wednesday, adding that those affected would now pay a tariff of N225 per kilowatt-hour, up from the previous rate of N68/kWh, representing about 240 per cent increase. The government declared that the decision took effect from Wednesday (yesterday).
They argued that the hike in tariff would send manufacturers out of business, worsen inflation, and stifle small and medium enterprises, adding that no place in Nigeria enjoyed up to 20 hours of power supply daily.
Band A power users are those who get up to 20 hours supply of electricity daily and paid about N68/kWh before the implementation of this latest order by the Federal Government through NERC.
