Groups Laud Senate Over Electricity Billing

The National Association of Youths for Good Governance (NAYGG) has lauded the 8th Senate for its intervention aimed at checkmating the excesses of power distribution companies (DISCOs) in billing electricity consumers across the country.

The group in a statement signed by its national president, Godwin Chukwuemeka, and publicity secretary, Simon Akaa, specially commended the Senate president, Dr Abubakar Saraki-led upper chamber for coming to the aid of Nigerians who are being unduly exploited by the DISCOs.

The NAYGG noted that the call by the Senate on the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to review the fixed charge regime and discontinue bulk metering of communities is a welcome development which showed that the Senate is not only responsive but also responsible to their constituents.

According to the group, “The 8th Senate, under the leadership of Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has proved to be a listening and compassionate assembly. They have shown that unlike in the past, when the people have a problem bothering  them they can always resort to the legislative body for succour.

“The Senate, since its inauguration on June 9, has continued to show itself as a pro-masses legislature going by its many interventions directed at alleviating the suffering of the people. We voted for change in the last election and there is no better way to manifest that change than the way the Senate has done. They acted for and on behalf of the people. Not too long ago, Saraki personally led a delegation of the Senate to Maiduguri to identify with the plight of internally displaced persons (IDPs), thus making history as the first Senate president to visit the Boko Haram ravaged territory.

“The Senate had also directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to recover illegal rice importation waivers granted by the immediate past administration.

The directive, the Senate had said, was aimed at shoring up our dwindling economy as a result of the sharp fall in the prices of oil at the international market as well as blocking avenues of financial leakages in the system. These are the kind of things we expect from our representatives in the upper chambers of the National Assembly. This association is thus of the firm belief that the 8th Senate has demonstrated the willingness to support President Muhammadu Buhari to rebuild the country notwithstanding its present leadership challenges.”

The NAYGG added that what remains is for some national leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to embrace peace so as to enable the 8th Senate to settle down as soon as possible and work more on oversight and law making.

“If the 8th Senate within this short period has achieved so much by getting the NERC to order the review of the fixed charge policy and the stoppage of bulk metering by the DISCOs, it shows that they truly appreciate the pains and suffering of Nigerians under these Shylock organisations and they are prepared to ensure that justice, fairness, and equity reigns in all facets of our economy,” the group stated.