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Senate Urges Government To Abandon Planned Increase In Electricity Tariff
The Senate has called upon the Federal Government to abandon its proposed escalation of electricity tariffs by withdrawing electricity subsidies.
In a session held in Abuja on Wednesday, the upper legislative chamber voiced its concerns through a motion adopted during the plenary.
The motion, titled “Planned Increase in Electricity Tariff and Arbitrary Billing of Unmetered Customers by Distribution Companies (DisCos),” was introduced under matters of urgent public importance by Senator Aminu Abbas (PDP Adamawa) alongside 10 co-sponsors.
Abbas expressed dismay at the prospect of escalating electricity tariffs amidst mounting economic challenges, including widespread poverty and a soaring cost of living across Nigeria.
He highlighted statements attributed to the Minister of Power, who articulated the necessity of transitioning towards a cost-effective tariff model due to Nigeria’s substantial debts to Generating Companies (GenCos) and gas suppliers amounting to N1.3 trillion and $1.3 billion, respectively.
Abbas underscored the discrepancy between the required subsidy of over N2 trillion and the allocated budget of N450 billion for 2024.
He further lamented the unjust practices of electricity distributors, who continue to bill customers for services not rendered and impose arbitrary charges on unmetered consumers.
The senator referenced the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) report, revealing widespread non-compliance with energy billing regulations by DisCos and the subsequent imposition of a N10.5 billion penalty on DisCos guilty of overcharging unmetered customers.
Despite previous directives to transition to prepaid metering and multiple sanctions imposed by NERC, Abbas expressed frustration at DisCos’ persistent disregard for regulatory measures.
In response, the Senate mandated the Committee on Power to investigate the purported N2 trillion subsidy requirement, the outstanding debts owed by the Ministry of Power to GenCos and gas companies, and the failed prepaid metering agreement involving the Ministry of Power, NERC, and Ziglaks Company.
Additionally, the committee was tasked with engaging NERC to devise a sustainable solution to the energy billing system and overseeing the judicious utilisation of the N10.5 billion penalty imposed on DisCos.
The Senate further called for a comprehensive investigation into DisCos’ operations to assess metering status and compliance with regulatory frameworks, directing NERC to furnish relevant documentation to the committee for further legislative action.
The Commander of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Maj.-Gen. Folusho Oyinlola, has decried the influx of large number of cattle into Barkin Ladi Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State.
Oyinlola, who doubles as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, Rukuba, near Jos, said this on Tuesday during an engagement with stakeholders in Barkin Ladi.
He noted that the influx of the cattle was constituting a major security threat to the locality and the state in general.
According to him, the isolated attacks, farm destruction, and other illegal activities are as a result of the unhealthy development.
“I must express the concerns of security agencies about recent developments in parts of Barkin Ladi.
“There is a growing unease about the influx of large number of cattle into farming communities.
“While the movement of livestock in Barkin Ladi and indeed Pateau in general is not unusual, the scale and timings of this new influx raise legitimate security concerns.
“Unfortunately, this development has already resulted in adverse outcomes, including farm destructions, isolated attacks, and attacks on livestock.
“The impact of this action on food security, economic stability, and social harmony cannot be over emphasised,” he said.
The commander, who also expressed deep concerns over the recent killings in the locality, called on the stakeholders to unite and fashion out ways to end the violence.
He, however, promised to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crime, who would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
Oyinlola explained that the stakeholders’ engagement was aimed at ensuring a successful and peaceful farming season in the locality.
“The faming season is already ongoing, and for many families, this is a period for securing their livelihood.
“Therefore, any disruption of farming activities now will have dire consequences for the rest of the year and beyond.
“To this end, this engagement is convened to hear from you, all stakeholders, to listen to your concerns,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the meeting had in attendance heads of security agencies, government officials, traditional and religious leaders, among others.(NAN)
The Catholic Church’s cardinals issued an urgent appeal for peace on Tuesday, one day before they retreat into the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope.
In a joint statement, they called on all warring parties worldwide to “achieve a lasting ceasefire as soon as possible.”
The statement, released by the Vatican, said the cardinals note “with regret” that there has been no “progress in promoting peace processes in Ukraine, the Middle East and many other parts of the world.”
On the contrary, they said, attacks have intensified, especially against the civilian population.
The cardinals called for ceasefires “without preconditions and without further delay” in order to negotiate “the peace long desired by the affected populations and the whole world.”
They also appealed to believers, asking them to intensify their prayers for a just and lasting peace.
The statement was delivered during the General Congregation of the College of Cardinals, the last meeting of the cardinals before the start of the conclave.
Starting on Wednesday, eligible cardinals under the age of 80 are to vote to elect a successor to pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday at the age of 88.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says on Tuesday that more than 30-year difference in life expectancy between the richest and the poorest countries highlights global health inequities.
The global health body stated this in its ‘World Report on Social Determinants of Health Equity’ launched on Tuesday by its Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus.
The report revealed that where one was born could be the difference between living over three decades longer than someone else from a poorer country lacking safe housing, good educational opportunities and access to decent jobs.
According to the report, people in the country with the highest life expectancy will, on average, live for 33 years more than those born in the country with the lowest life expectancy.
It further revealed that lack of safe housing, good educational opportunities and access to decent jobs could be responsible for a reduction in life expectancy in both rich and poor countries alike.
“Our world is an unequal one. Where we are born, grow, live, work and age significantly influences our health and well-being,” said Ghebreyesus.
The report found that inequities in health were closely linked to degrees of social disadvantage and levels of discrimination.
“Health follows a social gradient whereby the more deprived the area in which people live, the lower their incomes are,” the UN global health agency said.
It stated that inequities’ were exacerbated in populations that face discrimination and marginalisation, such as Indigenous Peoples, who had lower life expectancies than their non-Indigenous counterparts.
According to the report, this is the case in both high and low-income countries.
The study was the first to be published since 2008 when the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health released its final report.
The report laid out targets for 2040 for reducing gaps between and within countries in life expectancy, childhood and maternal mortality.
It showed that these targets were likely to be missed and in spite of a scarcity of data, there was sufficient evidence to show that health inequities were often widening.
“For example, children born in poorer countries are 13 times more likely to die before their fifth birthday than in wealthier countries.
“Moreover, modelling shows that the lives of nearly two million children annually could be saved by closing the gap and enhancing equity between the poorest and wealthiest sectors of the population within low- and-middle-income countries.”
Additionally, while maternal mortality declined by 40 per cent between the years 2000 and 2023, the majority of deaths, 94 per cent, still occurred in low and lower-middle-income countries.
WHO called for collective action to address economic inequality and invest in social infrastructure and universal public services.
The agency also recommended other steps, including overcoming structural discrimination and the determinants and impacts of conflicts, emergencies and forced migration. (NAN)