Reps will intervene in electricity tariff hike – Kalu

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has said that the House of Representatives will debate the propriety or otherwise of the recent hike in electricity tariff upon resumption of plenary later this month.

Daily Trust reports that the recent hike in electricity tariff for Band A customers by about 300 per cent has been generating concerns across the country.

Speaking virtually on the special edition of “Ben Kalu’s Mandate”, a call-in radio programme of FLO FM, Umuahia, Abia State, on Monday, Kalu said the parliament, heeding the calls of Nigerians for its intervention in the matter, would adopt a win-win approach in resolving the issue.

In a statement, his spokesman, Livinus Nwabughiogu, disclosed that Kalu’s reaction followed an inquiry from a call-in listener, Okafor Chinedum, from Umuahia, who sought to know the position of the parliament on the matter.

The statement quoted Kal;u as saying: “It’s a general problem. While I was on my holidays, one of the things I was bothered with was a letter sent to me by the majority leader of the house on the need for us to intervene in a matter involving the University of Ibadan Teaching Hospital (UITH) power supply. They were disconnected because of this hike and they don’t have the money to pay. We said it’s an essential service. Something should be done about it while we look at other details.”