Power: NACCIMA calls for cancellation of fixed electricity charge

Power: NACCIMA calls for cancellation of fixed electricity charge

The Nigerian Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has called for the cancellation of electricity tariff fixed charge to consumers in the country.
The National President of NACCIMA, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar, made this call in a parley with newsmen on the review of the state of the nation in the year 2014, saying, in the face of present epileptic power supply in the country, the chamber consider the electricity tariff fixed charge of between N750 and N1, 500 based on Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO)2 Retail Tariffs (Residential) to be too high for the average Nigerians who earn very low income and therefore urged that there should be no fixed charge to consumers.
“Similarly, the average fixed charge of between N90, 000 and N200,000, based on MYTO2 Retail Tariffs (Commercial/Industrial), is considered too high for MSMEs in the country and therefore urged that there should be no fixed charge to businesses/industries” he said.
He said the chamber is still worried that the policy of 24 hours cargo clearance promised by Government is yet to become a reality as the issue of cargo congestion has continued unabated at the Nigerian ports.
“This has been compounded with the concerns of Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), issuance and wrong computation, huge demurrage to shipping companies, gridlock on the access roads to the Ports, amongst others. Indeed this development does not portend the country as becoming a preferred Trade Hub for cargo destination; hence, we urge government and its agencies to continue to make efforts to find lasting solution to this problem through the option of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement” he stated.
Abubakar noted that the chamber have continued to observe that in spite of the enormous spending by governments on transportation infrastructure (roads, railway, waterways and airways) nationwide, the desired positive impact is yet to be felt by the business community and citizens.