THE House of Representatives Committee on Power on Tuesday asked the National Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, to suspend the planned increase in electricity tariff across the country.

Aliyu Magaji, committee chairman on power, issued the directive during a meeting with the Minister of Power and the NERC, questioning the tariff hike when the House had criminalised estimated billing and instructed that the upward review should be suspended pending proper consultations on the matter.

“There are so many unresolved questions. We have to do it logically to ensure that at least… all of us know the feedback from Nigerians.

“On behalf of this committee, I will liaise with the senate committee; put this on hold until proper consultations are achieved. The committee is directing you to halt this process until the honourable speaker finishes his consultation,” he said.

NERC had earlier announced the review of the electricity tariffs in the country, which showed increases for all categories of consumers.

The announcement raised public outcry as consumers continued to groan over irregular electricity supply as a Federal high court sitting in Lagos also suspended the move pending the completion of the legal proceedings with regards the tariff increase.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, also called for the suspension of the proposed hike in electricity tariff, saying the increment should not be allowed until estimated billing is criminalised.

At the committee meeting, Magaji directed the acting permanent secretary, ministry of power, Ahmed Abdul, to send correspondences across to relevant agencies regarding the directive.

Also, the House committee also condemned President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to transfer the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company Limited from the Ministry of Power to the Ministry of Finance.