Tag Archives: Hike

Senate Grills NCC, Telecom Operator Over Data Price Hike

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The Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) Tuesday said that it intervened with an interim price floor for data services to avert a looming price war in the telecommunications sector.

The explanation of the NCC is coming even as the Minister of Communications, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, asked Nigerians to face reality.

The regulatory commission said that it feared that the price war could eventually lead to a monopoly in the telecom industry that would force small operators to shut down.

It said that monopoly in the telecom sector could also push the country back to the days of NITEL to the detriment of small operators in the sector.

The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Professor Umar Dambatta stated this when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Communications.

The committee was mandated to investigate the proposed hike in the price of data tariff said to have been ordered by the NCC.

Vice Chairman of the Committee, Senator Solomon Adeola, who presided, noted that there was a public outcry over the proposed data price increase.

Adeola said that Nigerians were united in their opposition that the proposed increase in the price of data should be stopped.

He said that the position of Nigerians was that the idea of hike in data price was ill- advised especially with the biting economic situation in the country.

Professor Dambatta told the committee that the intervention of the NCC was not designed to undermine the consumers.

He noted that if cheap prices were introduced, they may end up undermining the telecom service operators.

He said that if the situation arose where the operators could no longer cope, the consequences could be better imagined.

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Senate grills NCC, telecom operator over data price hike

NCC Explains Proposal, Reversal Of Plans To Hike Data Price

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The Nigerian Communications Commission on Wednesday announced the immediate suspension of the new minimum pricing template for data services by mobile operators in the country.

The director, Public Affairs at the NCC, Tony Ojobo, said the decision to rescind its earlier directive to telecom operators to commence charging the new floor price rate for data from December 1, was to allow for further consultation with industry interest groups.

“Following concerns that visited the directive to introduce price floor for data segment of the telecommunications sector beginning from December 1, 2016, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has suspended any further action in that direction,” Mr. Ojobo said in a statement.

“The decision to suspend this directive was taken after due consultation with industry stakeholders and the general complaints by consumers across the country.”

Mr. Ojobo said the Commission has already asked all operators to maintain the status quo until the conclusion of study to determine retail prices for broadband and data services in the country.

Prior to the suspension, Nigerians had raised concerns about the impropriety of the decision by government to hike price of data at this time.

Several Nigerians accused the NCC of insensitivity, considering the high cost of living in the face of the current economic recession in the country.

Social media users expressed fears the government planned to limit citizens’ access to the Internet.

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Data Rate Hike: Time To Call President Buhari To Order – By Adekoya Boladale

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The Yorubas have a saying: ‘ agilinti ti nse ginniginni, iku apaa, ambelente opolo to fi ojojumo gbe ara re sanle’ – a cameleon that threads with caution dies, how much more the toad that hops around with much energy.

The recent report on the move by the Nigerian Communications Company (NCC) acting on the order from the Federal Government to compel Telecommunication companies to increase the rate they charge for data subscription is the latest dish of agony in the oven of Buhari led Presidency. There is no gainsaying the fact that what we currently have as a democratic government is merely a revised edition of the inglorious military rule. The cardinal points that differentiate dictatorship from democratic governance have since left the corridors of Aso Rock taking with it the keys to the room of rule of law, human dignity, lawfulness, and morality. Nepotism, totalitarianism and fascism now reign supreme.

The alleged excuse that Nigeria has the lowest data rate in Africa as reason for the government backed coup against the masses is not only fallacious but nonsensical, irrational, illogical and outright wickedness.

For the record, 1GB(Gigabyte) in Tanzania cost just $0.9, in Egypt is it $2.80,  in Mozambique it is $2.9, in Uganda is it $3.60, in Ghana it is $3.90, in Guinea it is $4.00, in Rwanda it is $4.00, in Sudan it is $4.30, in Tunisia it is $4.80 while Nigeria presently operates at $5.00. In Russia $3 will get you an unlimited data service, Sri Lanka $10 will get you same. In Malaysia $11 gives you 3GB of data while in Indonesia $18 gives you an unlimited access to data service. In France 50GB cost around $25, in United Kingdom £17will get you unlimited access to data service, in India it is $2.80 to 1GB.

Taking comparison as the basis for this argument, minimum wage per month in Egypt is $174, Gabon pays $155, in Guinea is it $62, WAR RAVAGED Sudan pays $70, Tunisia pays $220 while Nigeria pays $38. Russia pays €100per month, Sri Lanka is $70.75, and Malaysia pays around $205, in Indonesia it is between $82 and $332. In France is it €1,466 in India it is $190.

In spite of what we currently view as the cheap cost of data service, a report by PwC stated that only 43% of the world population can afford 500 megabytes of data per month. According to Strategy and Connecting the World report in May 2016, Nigeria is expected to reduce the cost of its data service by 97% as the current rate is not in tandem with the gross monthly income of the country.

The upward review of the data price by over 300% in the case of current rate by Globacom Telecommunications is not only ill conceived but an economic harakiri. Studies have shown that when there is an unceremonious increase in the price of non-consummable goods, there is bound to be a sharp decline in demand. With the telecommunication companies contributing a whopping 1.8 trillion naira which represents a total of 10% to the Gross Domestic Product according to the  National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)  the revenue drive of the industry which is mobile data is expected to fall drastically now.

The power of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) as a regulatory agency in a free market economy is to drive competition, low prices, encourage innovation and most importantly, protect the consumer. According to Ifeanyi Uddin (2016), ‘’the NCC has just shredded its credentials as a regulator’’.

For those who are quick to absolve the President of the new draconian regulation against the masses and seeing it as a supposed overzealousness of his appointees, such class of individuals should be enlightened that over 15 million Nigerians did not vote for the Dambazzaus, the Abba Kyaris, the Shittus and their likes. Nigerians defiled all odds to vote Buhari into office, trusting him not only to lead right but make decisions that will benefit the masses and be bold enough to accept responsibilities. We have had enough of bulk passing from this government.

You blame aides for padded budget, blame the previous government for recession, blame aides for speech plagiarism, blame politicians for Niger Delta and terrorism, blame militants for epileptic power supply, blame local bureau d’ change Mallam for high exchange rate, blame intolerance(nee blasphemy) for mindless killings, blame citizens for eating too much hence the high price of foods. One is then forced to ask if you are truly in charge of your ‘change’ government.

Maybe President Buhari does not understand the importance of citizens having easy access to internet data. Apart from the fact that it drives innovation, connect and help build a generation of more enlightened people while aiding research, it has effectively kept the masses at bay as they now find it more convenient to vent their anger and frustration against the government online rather than take to the street. If this plug is removed then it is only a matter of time before anarchy reigns supreme.

One of the numerous reasons that led to the fall of Gaddafi wasn’t because his government was less beneficial to the masses rather because his administration lost touch with the citizens and even for Gaddafi, he fell!

Adekoya Boladale is based in Lagos, Nigeria. He is a public affairs analyst and political commentator. His contributions have been featured on BBC, The Africa Report (Paris), The Star (South Africa), Ouestaf (Senegal), Islam Channel (UK), Punch, Guardian, Vanguard Newspapers (Lagos) amongst many others.

Boladale is on Twitter @adekoyabee

Recession: Masari warns against school fees hike

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Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State has warned proprietors of private schools in the country against using the current economic recession as an excuse to deny children of the less privileged, admission through hike in fees.

He gave the warning when he received the President of National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) North West Zone, Hajiya Maryam Magaji, in Katsina.

The governor, who urged members of the association to be innovative and prudent in the management of their institutions to ensure affordable school fees, revealed that less than 20 percent of private schools in the state would have been closed down if the government applied strictly, the rules and regulations guiding them.

He, however, cautioned that the present administration would not allow some substandard schools, he described as “Room and Parlour School” to continue to operate in the state.

He also warned the private schools’ proprietors against cheating during examination in their institutions to bring to an end, the disturbing growth of “Wonder or Miracle Centres” across the country.

The governor stressed that examination malpractices had destroyed the image of the nation’s education sector and the future of many schools and the children of the elite who were the major culprits. Earlier, Hajiya Maryam Magagi, said the association was determined to build a closer cooperation between government and its members to fulfill their obligations.

She lauded the commitment of the Masari administration to all sectors of the economy and the giant strides it had recorded in the education sector.

Hike in petrol price inevitable – IPMAN

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The speculation about possible increase in price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, otherwise known as petrol, may hold some water as the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, yesterday warned of a threat to product availability in the country.

This came as expert blamed marketers of insensitivity to price moderation when government placed a cap on petrol price in May.

But, other operators have argued that the price of petrol was driven by economic variables, which could not be altered for a long time due to foreign exchange challenges.

Speaking, National President, IPMAN, Mr. Chinedu Okoronkwo, said: “But I will advice for total deregulation. The price moderation, which is the cap placed is not healthy for the petroleum industry to grow.

“There are people who have the forex to bring product and sell. By so doing, forexwill crash. But when the industry is over-protected like ours, the current challenges will be unending. Market force should drive the price.

“If the refineries are working to a capacity of 70 percent, the product will not be more than N130 per litre. We should focus on making the refineries work because by the time you keep on importing, forex challenges will keep on recurring and there would no head way.

FUEL-Price-changeFUEL-Price-change“The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, should ensure that the refineries are working and government should grant all support needed to ensure that they work, so the country can avert all of the turbulence hitting the petroleum sector as well as the economy.

“The best way to do that is for the government to hands off, and sometime coming in to intervene when the need arises.”

He, however, urged the Federal Government to urgently encourage the setting up of modular refineries in the country as a spur for the refining of crude product.

“The government should encourage the installation of modular refineries in virtually all local government. For example, Ivory Coast has one refinery which is old and yet it is working and giving them the satisfaction to an extent,’’ he added.

He noted that the association planned to invest on building a modular refinery to assist refining of the product.

“We had brought some investors to Nigeria. In Kogi, we had been given land to build a modular refinery,” he said.

He further called for a good policy in the sector to drive the needed investment for growth.

Okonkwo said: “The body language of the government must be seen. An enabling environment should be guaranteed and encouraged for investors to harness.”

Meanwhile, a renowned Petroleum Economist and President, Nigerian Association for Energy Economics, NAEE, Professor Wumi Iledare, has blamed marketers for misunderstanding the intentions of government when it hiked the price of petrol in May.

He said: “The concept of fixing a price at N145 per litre introduced by government in May this years was actually suppose to be a ‘price feeling’ and not ‘price floor.’’

Fuel Price Hike: Technical Committee To Be Inaugurated Thursday

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The Federal Government will on Thursday inaugurate the technical committee constituted to address the grievance of labour over the increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) commonly known as petrol, a statement said. said.

The statement was issued and signed by Mr Mohammed Bukar, the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to the statement, the committee will also examine other consequential matters arising from the hike in petrol price.

The 16-member committee comprises representatives of organised labour and that of the government, the statement said.

It identified representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the committee as Peters Adeyemi, Amaechi Asugwuni, Ibrahim Khaleel, Igwe Achese and Segun Efan while those of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) include Augustine Etafo, Alade Lawal and Abdullahi Sale.

Leading the government representatives is the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, who is also the committee Chairman, while a representative of the Office of the SGF will serve as the secretary, the statement said.

Other members of the government team are the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma, and the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun.

The list of government representatives also include the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Chief Richard Egbule, Chairman, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission and Prof. Adamu Usman, a representative of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, it said.

 

(NAN)

Fuel Price Hike: NLC, TUC, To Go Ahead With Strike Despite Court Order

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Despite an order of the National Industrial Court restraining the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress from going ahead with their planned strike to protest the hike in price of petrol, the strike will go ahead as planned on Wednesday, labour officials have said.

The General Secretary of the NLC, Peter Ozo-Eson, on Tuesday night told Premium Times that from all indications the strike would go on as planned.

On the meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, earlier convened to attempt to broker a last minute truce on the matter, Mr. Ozo-Eson said the meeting was yet to hold at about 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

“There was no resolution yet. We are just going for the meeting now. ,” the NLC scribe said on telephone interview. “We have been meeting on our own on matters that are important to us. It is clear the strike will go ahead as planned,” Mr. Ozo-Eson said on telephone on his way to the venue of the meeting.

He however assured that an official statement would be issued on the final position after what promises to be an all-night meeting.

The General Executive Secretary of Medical and Health Workers Union, north central, Richard Gbamwuan, in an interview with this newspaper, shortly after an emergency NEC meeting of the NLC held in Abuja on Tuesday, said that they were going ahead with the proposed strike.

“We have resolved to go ahead with the protest nationwide, as far as we are concerned, we are yet to be aware of any court injunction,” he said.

“And if there is any court injunction, we are just doing what federal government is fond of doing. The same Industrial court had stopped federal government from increasing electric tariff but till date federal government ignored us, they still went ahead, so we are embarking on the protest.”

Credit: PremiumTimes

Senate Condemns “Ultra-Wicked” Electricity Tariff Hike, Demands Reversal

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The Nigerian Senate has asked the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing, the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, and electricity distribution companies to immediately suspend the new electricity tariffs that has seen charges raised by over 40 per cent.

The Senate gave the order Tuesday, following a motion sponsored by Suleiman Nafiz (APC-Bauchi North).

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, described the tariff raise as “ultra-wicked and unconscionable”.

Despite Nigeria’s dismal electricity output, the federal government implemented the new tariff regime on February 1, sparking widespread criticisms and nationwide street protests by the organised Labour.

But the Minister for Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, said the measure was a “bitter pill” Nigerians must swallow to enjoy optimal service delivery in the power sector.

Mr. Nafiz asked the Senate to probe how funds allocated to electricity companies were spent.

In his contribution, Dino Melaye, (APC-Kogi west) noted that the latest increase in electricity tariff was the fourth since the privatisation of power.

Credit: PremiumTimes

Fashola Begs Nigerians To Accept Hike In Electricity Tariff

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The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, has noted that the increase in electricity tariffs is the first major policy the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is coming up with, describing same as “a painful pill,” which consumers have to “swallow.”

 

 

Fashola disclosed this Monday during the second monthly meeting with stakeholders in the power sector in Lagos, where he also inspected some projects at the Alagbon Transmission and Distribution Complex.

 

Fashola’s comments came at a time Nigerian workers under the aegis of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, joined by Civil Society Organizations embarked on peaceful protests against the policy which has grounded commercial activities in several cities in the country.

 

His words, “Importantly, I understand that people who have been disappointed over a long time will feel a sense of concern that again tariffs have gone up. But the truth is that these tariffs ought to have been there from day one.

 

I don’t know why the government of yesterday was not courageous enough to tell us this was the price. “It is a painful pill that I must appeal that we swallow. It is like quinine and malaria. It’s painful; it’s not sweet, I know that, but I do it because we are not left with many choices. This is the first major decision in power that this administration has taken. There are other problems. “I can only appeal for some understanding and some trust that we do this in the best interest of our country. It is a hard decision, but I think down the line, we will have cause to look…”

 

The minister, who faulted the way the privatisation of the power sector carried out by the immediate past administration of Goodluck Jonathan, said the sector was being plagued by several problems including gas supply shortfall and transmission issue.

Fashola, while responding to a question on what the problems in the sector were, said, “The problem is everywhere. The problem is with us. The problem is with gas. The problem is with transmission. The problem is with the way the privatisation exercise itself was conducted. “But as I have said before, I am not going to lament what has happened in the past. I am going to move on with it. So, the first move we have made when we accessed the situation, nobody was happy with it when we took over. “This is a problem that has been here for 16 years, if we put it mildly. It is a problem that has been here 100 years ago, if we put it really extremely. I have been here for less than a 100 days, and I think we can solve this problem if you give us the tools that we need to do it. I think that this problem can be solved, and the day that we feel that it cannot be solved, I will gladly come and tell you that I don’t think it will work,” he stated.

 

Credit : Vanguard

Fashola Begs Nigerians To Accept Hike In Electricity Tariff, Faults Jonathan’s Privatization Of Power Sector

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The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, has noted that the increase in electricity tariffs is the first major policy the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is coming up with, describing same as “a painful pill,” which consumers have to “swallow.”Fashola disclosed this Monday during the second monthly meeting with stakeholders in the power sector in Lagos, where he also inspected some projects at the Alagbon Transmission and Distribution Complex.

Fashola’s comments came at a time Nigerian workers under the aegis of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, joined by Civil Society Organizations embarked on peaceful protests against the policy which has grounded commercial activities in several cities in the country.

His words, “Importantly, I understand that people who have been disappointed over a long time will feel a sense of concern that again tariffs have gone up. But the truth is that these tariffs ought to have been there from day one. I don’t know why the government of yesterday was not courageous enough to tell us this was the price.

“It is a painful pill that I must appeal that we swallow. It is like quinine and malaria. It’s painful; it’s not sweet, I know that, but I do it because we are not left with many choices. This is the first major decision in power that this administration has taken. There are other problems.

“I can only appeal for some understanding and some trust that we do this in the best interest of our country. It is a hard decision, but I think down the line, we will have cause to look…”

The minister, who faulted the way the privatisation of the power sector carried out by the immediate past administration of Goodluck Jonathan, said the sector was being plagued by several problems including gas supply shortfall and transmission issue.

Credit: Vanguard

Electricity Tariff Hike: Workers Begin Nationwide Protest

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Workers under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have started a nationwide protest against the recent increase in electricity tariffs in the country. The NLC had called for the protest after repeatedly calling on the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission to suspend the recent increase in tariffs.

 

The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, who described the tariff hike as outrageous, said it was the fifth in a row since 2012 and unacceptable.

 

In a statement calling for the protest Wabba said, “It is a nationwide protest, meaning that the 36 states of the Federation including Abuja will be involved in this action. Our members have been sufficiently mobilised and are ready to go. If you are an electricity consumer and you are not happy with the bills electricity companies serve you every month, you are invited to join this protest rally.”

 

Civil society groups and activists also expressed support for the protest and mobilised their members for it.

 

In Abuja, protesters could be seen carrying placards expressing their disdain for the tariff increase with some bearing such inscriptions as “We won’t pay more for darkness”.

 

Some of the workers came out as early as 7am for the protest, which started at the Labour House in the Central Business District Abuja. The workers are expected to protest at NERC offices and in the case of Abuja, the protest will extend to the National Assembly.

The NERC had introduced the new power tariff regime in December, outlining the various rates of increase in energy charges for consumers across the country. 

It also announced the removal fixed electricity charges for all classes of electricity consumers and noted that power users would only pay for what they consume.

The new tariffs became effective February 1.

Credit: Punch

Ooni Kingmakers Allegedly Hike Interest Form To N250,000

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Kingmakers of the Ooni of Ife have allegedly hiked the cost of the Interest Form from N100,000 to N250,000.

A source close to the kingmakers attributed the hike in the fee to the “unprecedented” declaration of intention to succeed the late Oba Okunade Sijuwade.

Although, the hike in the fee was designed to discourage many people from participating in the contest, he said that aspirants will have enough time to obtain mandatory intention forms when the race begins.

Traditionally, it is forbidden for would-be occupants to the stool to indicate their interest during the period of mourning, but the battle for who succeeds the late Sijuwade commenced in earnest, even before the Royal Traditional Council formally announced the “ascension to the loft” of Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse 11 penultimate Wednesday.

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