The Federal Government has told Nigerians that it is very difficult to sustain subsidy on electricity.
The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu revealed that Government could not sustain the debt overhanging in the electricity sector, as it is owing both generating and gas companies over N3trillion.
The Minister said that only N450 billion was budgeted for subsidy in 2024 and the ministry would need more than N2 trillion to pay for the subsidy, hence the need to move towards a cost-effective tariff model.
Speaking with Radio Nigeria in Ado-Ekiti, an electricity consumer, Mr. Emmanuel Olaiya decried the outrageous bills by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company.
Mr. Olaiya said that, if with the subsidy, electricity consumers in Ekiti were still asked to pay outrageous and ambiguous amount, he wondered how much would be paid if subsidy is removed.
The concerned citizen noted that people hardly enjoy power supply in his area, and called on both the Federal Government and the Benin Electricity Distribution Company BEDC, to resolve their differences amicably rather than pushing Nigerians to the wall.
An electicity consumer in Aramoko-Ekiti, Mrs Bose Akinbola noted that the epileptic power supply had negatively affected her cold drink business.
Mrs. Akinbola bemoaned the erratic supply of electricity, particular now that the weather condition is not favourable, and called on the distribution company to up its game.
She expressed the fear that even if the tarrif is increased, the power generating body might not supply power for days, considering the current poor treatment meted on citizens in all sectors of the nation’s life.
Another resident from Ilawe-Ekiti, Mr. Patrick Olowookere said removing electricity subsidy at the time when most Nigerians could not afford two meals per day is ill-conceived.
Mr. Olowokere stressed that Federal Government should find means to settle the debt owed Electicity companies rather than passing the liability to the already suffering masses.
He emphasized that the estimated billing method where residents pay between five to fifteen thousand naira monthly in Ilawe-Ekiti for the service not rendered, is an act of wickedness and advocated installation and use of pre-paid meter in every household.
The respondents wondered what remains as the duty of government and the power companies since it is now individual and communities that erect poles, buy cables and transformers as well as pay distribution companies to connect them to national grid.
In a remark, Ekiti regional head of Benin Electricity Distribution Company, Mrs Moyosola Akin-Afuye emphasized that Federal Government had not removed electricity subsidy.
Mrs Akin-Afuye however attributed non availability of electricity to theft, drop in water level, outdated equipment and natural disaster.
She called on residents to always put off unused equipment during the day to conserve energy and report unwholesome activities to appropriate authorities.
