Fuel Scarcity and Electricity Tariff Hikes to Top Agenda as NASS Reconvenes

The Nigerian Senate and the House of Representatives will reconvene today (Tuesday) after 40 days of vacation as Fuel Scarcity and Electricity Tariff Hikes Tops Agenda.

The lawmakers adjourned plenary activities for Easter and Eid-el-Fitr break on 20 March and were due to return on 16 April.

However, their resumption was extended twice.

Before proceeding on the vacation, both chambers of the National Assembly had extended the implementation of the capital component of the 2023 budget until June.

They also extended the implementation of the N2.17 trillion 2023 supplementary budget until June.

While the lawmakers were away, there were some major developments in the country, which may engage their attention.

For instance, the naira has been on an unpredictable swing, and petroleum scarcity and its attendant queues returned while electricity tariff was increased for Band A consumers.

There are indications that the lawmakers will intervene in some of these issues upon resumption because they affect their constituents.

Already, some of the lawmakers issued statements commenting on the issues, though at a personal level.

Fuel queues return

Across the country, the gates of many petroleum stations are shut due to the scarcity of the product. The few stations with the product have to deal with long queues by motorists and those with cans.

In some parts of Nigeria, motorists pay as much as N1000 per litre. ASIWAJU MEDIA reported that motorists pay as much as N1000 per litre for fuel in Kano State.

Nigerians are suffering this hardship despite the removal of petroleum subsidy by President Bola Tinubu with the promise that the removal would terminate all encumbrances in the downstream sector.

However, the government’s removal of subsidies has been shrouded in secrecy, and the government is facing allegations of payment of subsidies through the back door.

With the lawmakers back in Abuja, Nigerians would expect them to deliberate on this issue.

Classism in the electricity market

While the lawmakers were on holiday, the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) announced a new electricity tariff without any prior warning or notification.

The 200 per cent increment only affected the Band A consumers, who will get 20-23 hours of power a day in exchange. They are to pay a premium of N225 per kilowatt of electricity.

For most Nigerians outside Band A, the electricity supply has, however, become epileptic.

Last week, the House held a conference on the power sector, and opinions expressed by experts and players in the industry painted a very gloomy picture of the sector. Nigerians can only hope that the committee will submit a report

Notwithstanding, there is a strong possibility of a motion for a matter of urgent public importance to be introduced on Tuesday as a way of intervening in the matter. Going by previous legislative actions, an ad hoc committee may be set up again to investigate the sector.

Constitution amendment may gain acceleration

The review of the 1999 Constitution is expected to gain acceleration in both chambers.

Only recently, the House had a national dialogue on the State Police Bill before the National Assembly.

Before proceeding on holidays, the committees of the two chambers had separate meetings in readiness for the exercise.

Resuming in renovated chamber

Members of the House are to reconvene in their newly renovated chamber.

On Monday, the former Speaker and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, joined his successor, Abbas Tajudeen, and other lawmakers to tour the newly renovated chamber.

The project, estimated to cost N42 billion, commenced during the tenure of Mr Gbajabiamila but never finished till his tenure elapsed.

For all the newbies in the House, they will sit in the chamber for the first time, having been inaugurated on 13 June last year.

(PREMIUM TIMES)