- Says it’s too early to expect perfection
- Senate rejects removal of electricity subsidy, increase in tariff
- NLC, DSS disagree on planned protest
A former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd.), has urged Nigerians to exercise patience with President Bola Tinubu’s administration, emphasizing that it’s premature to anticipate flawless outcomes at this stage.
Gowon spoke in an interview with State House correspondents after a meeting he had with Tinubu on Wednesday.
The former Head of State, who noted that he was visiting Tinubu for the first time after the latter’s inauguration, disclosed that discussions revolved around matters concerning peace and security within the West African sub-region.
Responding to inquiries about his advice to the President regarding the prevailing national circumstances, Gowon acknowledged the existing challenges but stressed that it’s too early to anticipate perfection.
He said, “I was telling him that there’s no Nigerian leader that can get there, that will not get all of these, all that is being said about him. But certainly, there is no doubt about all that one has heard and seen from various media. I think the government is trying its best to deal with the various problems of the country.
“But with Nigerians, don’t worry, you will get criticized but people who get there know better than you know. I think all one can say to Nigerians is that they have to give the President time to get things done and it is too early to sort of say a perfect result will be achieved. That is my opinion.
“At least, if I remembered, I was told that I was too slow, fighting the war and that probably Nigeria would not make it and we should seek for discussion. Well, did we do it or not? They probably did not know the problem on the ground there.”
Senate rejects removal of electricity subsidy, increase in tariff
Meanwhile, the Senate, on Wednesday, kicked against the plans by the Ministry of Power to remove electricity subsidies thereby increasing the tariff.
The resolution of the Senate followed consideration and approval of a motion moved by Senator Aminu Abbas (PDP, Adamawa Central) during plenary on the need to retain subsidy on electricity in the country for the foreseeable future.
Last week, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, disclosed at a press conference in Abuja that Nigeria was not likely to sustain the current electricity subsidy.
He explained that the indebtedness of the country’s power sector to electricity-generating companies and gas companies had risen to over N3 trillion.
He said, “Today, we owe a total of N1.3trn to the power generating companies, out of which 60 per cent is owed to gas suppliers. Today we have a legacy debt, before 2014, to the gas companies of $1.3bn; at today’s rate, that is close to N2 trillion.”
Abbas in his lead debate said, “Senate notes with greatest dismay the plan to increase electricity tariff by the relevant statutory authority in gross disregard of increased economic challenges with attendant widespread poverty and high cost of living;
“The Senate may note that the Hon. Minister of Power was reported saying ‘the nation must begin to move towards a cost-effective tariff model, as the country is currently indebted to the tune of N1.3 trillion to generating companies (GenCos) and $1.3 billion owed to gas companies.
“According to him, over N2 trillion was needed for subsidy and only N450 billion was budgeted this year;
“The Senate may further note that the same electricity businesses are collecting money from customers for services not rendered. When they have not added anything to the equipment, they inherited it from PHCN.
“Communities buy transformers to replace damaged ones in addition to overburden bills and arbitrary estimates for unmetered customers.
“Cognizance that in a country where a greater number of the population lives below the poverty level, with stagnant wages, rising inflation, and depreciating currency, the prospect of the higher electricity bill is unattainable.
“Notes that the issue of arbitrary energy charges on unmetered customers has become worrisome given the February 2024 report of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) on the non-compliance with energy billing caps by DisCos and the penalty of ₦10.5billion imposed on the distribution companies that over-billed its unmetered customers.
“Aware that in 2018, the then Hon. Minister of Power, Works, and Housing directed the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to issue a regulation that facilitates signing of meter agreement between the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Ziglaks company and other meter asset providers to address the metering gaps in the power supply industry.
“Further aware that as far back as in 2020 the president then, ordered the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to commence Mass pre-paid Metering to end estimated billing, and that Funds were released to that effect.
“Disturbed that the multiple sanctions declared to be imposed by NERC against DISCOs for failing to comply with the scrapping of estimated bills for unmetered customers which include credit adjustments to overbilled unmetered customers for the period January – September 2023 by the March 2024 billing cycle, publication of the list of credit adjustment beneficiaries in two national dailies, and deduction of N10,505,286,072 from the annual allowed revenues of the eleven DisCos during the next tariff review seemed to have been in futility given the continued violations by Discos.
“Recall that this Senate via a motion called on the Federal Government and NERC not to increase tariff on electricity for customers and citizens of this country at this time.
“Regret that in addition to the high cost of living being experienced in the country, the unmetered customers who are owners of small and medium enterprises are adversely impacted by this level of exorbitant electricity charges and by implication have their businesses affected.
“While the prospect of the new Electricity Act, 2023 of ensuring accurate electricity charges will be negated if DisCos are not investigated to ascertain the current statistical data on unmetered customers, poor provision of electricity service despite exorbitant tariff and regulatory role of NERC which leaves much to be desired.”
NLC, DSS disagree on planned protest
In a related development, the Department of State Services has asked the organized labour to shelve plans to stage protests in the country over the biting economic hardship.
The Service warned that some elements are planning to use the opportunity of the protest to foment crisis and by extension, widespread violence, insisting the development will worsen the socio-economic situation across the country.
This was made known in a statement issued on Wednesday by Peter Afunanya, the Director, Public Relations & Strategic Communications, Department of State Services National Headquarters, Abuja.
Afunanya said although the protest is within the legitimate right of the labour, the Service is urging the union to shelve the plan in the interest of peace and public order.
According to him, all the levels of government are striving to ameliorate the prevailing economic condition and as such, should be given the benefit of the doubt.
He called on parents and guardians to exert authority in guiding their children and wards from inimical acts capable of jeopardising public safety and harmony.
Afunanya further warned that DSS stands opposed to violence as a means of settling present day challenges, be they economic, political or otherwise, assuring that the Service will work with sister security and law enforcement agencies to ensure that lasting peace is maintained in the country.
“The DSS further calls on parties to pursue dialogue and negotiation rather than engaging in conducts that could heighten tensions. This is more so that the Service is aware that some elements are planning to use the opportunity of the protest to foment crisis and by extension, widespread violence. The development, without doubt, will worsen the socio-economic situation across the country.
“It is common knowledge that all levels of Government are striving to ameliorate the prevailing economic condition and as such, should be given the benefit of the doubt. So far, appropriate authorities are working assiduously with a spectrum of stakeholders to fashion out modalities to address the current difficulties. They should, therefore, be given the chance to handle the challenges at hand.
“The DSS stands opposed to violence as a means of settling our present day challenges, be they economic, political or otherwise. Accordingly, the Service will work with sister security and law enforcement agencies to ensure that lasting peace is maintained in the country,” part of the statement read.
However, the NLC has insisted that the planned protests against the prevailing economic situation in the country will hold contrary to the warning issued by the DSS to shelve its protests.
The organised labour, on Monday, began mobilising its members for a nationwide protest slated for February 27 and 28 over the cost of living crisis in the country.
The Federal Government’s failure to fulfill its promises after the 14-day ultimatum by Labour, according to sources, will be met with a two-day nationwide protest already slated for February 27 and 28.
The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, in a statement he personally signed on Wednesday evening, noted that the protests will still hold and questioned why the DSS had yet to execute the arrest of those planning to disrupt the protests.
“We are concerned by the unsolicited advice of the Department of State Security to shelve our planned protest against the unprecedented high cost of living despite the indescribable suffering in the land, spiraling inflation, deepening poverty and the Naira at an exchange rate of N1, 900 to the US Dollar.
“According to the Service, the planned protest should be shelved ‘in the interest of peace and public order’, pre-supposing that the action is intended to be violent and disruptive even when we have a history of peaceful protests.’
“More worrying is the new role the Service has assigned to itself, the chief spokesperson of the government.
“We are equally worried that although the “Service is aware that some elements are planning to use the opportunity of the protest to foment crisis and by extension, widespread violence and yet have not executed the arrest of these elements,” the NLC president said.
Ajaero noted that the NLC will not compromise the sovereignty or security of the country while assuring that the protests would be peaceful.
“We are equally intrigued by the innuendos of the Service, their philosophy of “peace” and wild allegations and we want to reassure them that no one loves this country more than us and in our honour, we would never do anything that will compromise its sovereignty or security.
“Having said this, we would not have ourselves blackmailed or lied against by the Service. Our protest is a peaceful one against the unpardonable cost of living of which the unserviced personnel of the Service are also victims.
“We cannot fold our hands and pretend all is well. That will be a grievous conspiracy that history will not forgive,” he said.
