Coalition of Arewa Assembly, has decried a recent move to stop the provision of Eligible Customer, EC scheme in the Nigerian Electricity market.
The Coalition in a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Mallam Attahiru Usman at the weekend, disclosed that the move by some DisCos cartels, is a deliberate attempt to collapse the economy, stressing that more industries may soon go out of business.
He explained that the plot by the cartel if not quickly arrested will not only cause injuries on manufacturing industries but it will also lead to the total collapse of the economy, thereby causing unemployment because more industries will soon wind-down operations.
The group however appealed President Muhammadu Buhari and his economic team to urgently wade-into the matter even as it called on the leadership of the national assembly led by the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan to adopt legislative processes to unravel the plot.
The group also urged the 36 state governors under the auspices of the Nigeria’s Governors’ Forum to rally round its members in a bid to arrest jobs carnage and Internally Generated Revenue, IGR deficit stressing that many industries have collapsed in Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Lagos, Ogun and other states of the federation while many others are operating below capacities.
According to the statement, “As part of efforts towards actualizing their aims of increasing Electricity Tariffs, the said cartel plotted coup d’état which ensured that Mr. Raji Fashola was not returned as Minister for Power for a second term tenure while the former Managing Director of Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN was also relieved of his appointment.
“Unfortunately, it is crystal clear at this point to note that the purpose of privatization has not been achieved.
He also alleged that some Discos have found their ways to cause policy summersault by mis-regulating the system, increasing electricity tariff as well as planned to cancel Eligible Customers which is the only avenue for the Electricity Generation Companies to sell close to 3000 stranded powers that Discos was not able to evacuate.
“Cancellation of Eligible Customers which has been a huge relief to Genco and TCN as well as manufacturers that are buying bulk powers will wreck serious havoc on business activities nationwide with negative ‘bush fire’ effects on all facets of the nation’s economy.”
The statement further stressed that, “The privatization act has set limitations for all Discos while the act of Electricity Generation Companies and TCN gave rooms for the Eligible Customers. This alert is in the collective interest of Nigerians.
At the moment, transformers are being purchased by members of communities and associations for the comfort of their households while Discos take advantage of this and claim returns on such efforts put in place by innocent residents in their budget.
Despite the proclamation by the national assembly, Discos are yet to invest on purchase of meters. It will gladden our hearts if Discos can do an hour documentary to be aired on National Television stations on their achievements to Nigerian masses since the privatization was done as well as give adequate account of the fund released to them by the federal government through the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
“Before embarking on any policy of this kind, we implore the leadership of National Assembly to prevail on the Minister for Power to organize a public debate wherein, stakeholders, interest groups, associations as well as representatives of Non-Non-governmental Organizations, NGOs would be involved in order to submit their positions before hand”, Usman added.
