Latest Politics updatein nigeria
The Senate has kicked against the plans by the Ministry of Power to increase electricity tariff.
The Senate also rejected plans to remove subsidy from electricity given the present hardship in the country.
The Senate then called on the Federal Government to step down the idea of an increase in electricity tariff.
The upper chamber also directed its Committee on Power to investigate the N2 trillion subsidy requirement as stated by the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and other debts owed in the sector, and find out the state of metering in the country.
The resolution of the Senate followed its consideration and approval of a motion by Senator Aminu Abbas (PDP, Adamawa Central) moved during plenary on the need to retain the subsidy on electricity in the county for the foreseeable future.
Last week, Adelabu disclosed at a press conference in Abuja that nigeria was not likely to sustain the current electricity subsidy.
Politics
Falana Calls for Review of Fuel Subsidy Removal
Latest Politics updatein nigeria
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) wants the Federal Government to review the fuel subsidy removal policy owing to claims that nigeria is still paying for it.
President Bola Tinubu had on his inauguration declared an end to the subsidy era, triggering a hike in the prices of petroleum across the country. But in recent times, the World Bank and the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited Mr. Robert Dickerman claimed that the Federal Government is still paying subsidy for the product.
Citing these claims, Falana in a Sunday statement called on the government to respond to them and also review the policy.
“Curiously, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited has not deemed it fit to deny the serious allegation that fuel subsidy has been restored. Since there is no provision for fuel subsidy in the 2023 and 2024 Appropriation Acts the federal government should, without any further delay, confirm or deny the serious allegation and end the opacity surrounding the importation of fuel from foreign countries,” Falana said.
“It would be recalled that after the Muhammadu Buhari administration announced that it had removed subsidy on petrol, it turned around to spend N11 trillion on the so-called “under-recovery” within a period of 8 years.
“Therefore, instead of urging Nigerians to continue to endure the hardship caused by the removal of subsidies on petrol, the Bola Tinubu administration. If the federal government is spending as much as N1 trillion on fuel subsidy per month, it is high time the policy was reviewed in the interest of the Nigerian people.”