Tariff HIKE: NERC awaits President’s approval, plans stakeholders meeting – Newstrends
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Tariff HIKE: NERC awaits President’s approval, plans stakeholders meeting

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NERC

Tariff HIKE: NERC awaits President’s approval, plans stakeholders meeting

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, is awaiting the approval of President Bola Tinubu before a new tariff regime is made public.

The review of the Multi-Year Tariff Order, MYTO, which happens twice a year, is expected to lead to a rate increase following the devaluation of the Naira with the flotation of the national currency.

An impeccable source at the Commission told Vanguard, yesterday that the review has been concluded and the result sent to the President for approval. The source who declined to be named said “Everything is ready.

By Friday this week, we will know if this increase will happen on July 1 or August 1, as some people have suggested.

“The truth is that the increase will happen, if not the government will have to pay for the shortfall. I don’t think there is a budget for it and without the increase, the industry will struggle to survive”, the source added. Providing more insight, he disclosed that a stakeholder meeting involving the Commission, operators and consumers has been scheduled for Monday and Tuesday next week where all issues arising from the tariff hike will be discussed.

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Checks by Vanguard confirmed that President Tinubu’s, Special Adviser on Energy, Olu Verheijen would likely lead the government’s decision on the electricity tariff review and all other reforms in the sector.

Last Friday, she met with top government officials at the Federal Ministry of Power in Abuja where she was said to have put forward her vision for the power sector.

Already, some consumers said they would attend the planned stakeholders meeting expected to through up issues, including the rising cost of operations, inflation and foreign exchange for discussion.

Meanwhile, the Electricity Distribution Company, DisCos said the upward tariff review would encourage investment, leading to the supply of additional power to consumers.

Similarly, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN also noted that the implementation of the nation’s Electricity Act would also be enhanced because of the new tariff.

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In its position paper obtained by Vanguard, the association stated: “As an advocacy Association, MAN has always pushed for the need to charge cost-reflective electricity tariff to avoid extortion of our members. Fortunately, it is of great delight that this new Act fits like a glove as it will help actualize a cost–reflective tariff considering the healthy price competition it will bring between the states and private investors.”

However, the President, of Nigeria Consumer Protection Network, Mr Kunle Olubiyo, in a note to Vanguard, noted that much value has not been given to consumers despite several past tariff reviews.

He said more investment should be channelled into the capacity expansion of critical power grid infrastructure and network improvements in order to upscale efficient service delivery, quality of supply and customer satisfaction in the post-privatized Nigerian power sector.

He also said: “Government should address matters relating to domestic gas obligation, appropriate gas pricing and gas to the domestic market should be sold in local currency (Naira) for use by gas to power generation power plants.

“Government should provide tax incentives, fiscal and non-fiscal incentives and access to long-term low-interest single digits credit facilities to indigenous meters assembling plants/local meters manufacturers in order to strengthen their production capacity.

“End users of electricity in Nigeria should be given the opportunity to buy pre-paid meters off the shelves. Conversion of the post-paid meters used by maximum demand metered customers who are bulk users into pre paid maximum demand meters in order to enhance energy accountability and customer-centric, customers’ satisfaction & value for money.”

Tariff HIKE: NERC awaits President’s approval, plans stakeholders meeting

(vanguard)

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Labour Day: Nigerian workers are dedicated, resilient, says NURTW leader

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Labour Day: Nigerian workers are dedicated, resilient, says NURTW leader

As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark this year’s International Workers’ Day on May 1, acting president of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Issa Ore, has praised the nation’s workers for their dedication to national development, commitment and resilience.

This is contained in his goodwill message to members of the union on the occasion of this year’s International Workers’ Day also known as Labour Day.

As part of activities to mark the event, the Federal Government has declared Wednesday, May 1, as public holiday.

Ore commended members of the NURTW for their worthy contributions to the nation’s economy.

He said, “Your contribution is well noted. Your tireless contributions to keep our communities and people moving from one point to another are well appreciated.

“From drivers to conductors, your contribution is the engine that drives the Nigerian economy.”

Ore also said the national headquarters of the union was working tirelessly to address some the challenges facing members throughout the federation.

“We at the national headquarters of our great union are not unaware of the problems facing members and we are working towards improving the working conditions of our members and staff,” he stated.

On the leadership crisis rocking the union, Alhaji Ore stated that the national headquarters under his leadership had utmost fate in the judiciary to handle the matter, hence the appeal at the Court of Appeal.

He urged members of the union throughout the federation to be calm and law-abiding and not to be provoked by those trying to destabilise the organisation.

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UK-based Nigerian surgeon loses licences in sex for Botox scandal

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Dr. Oluwafemi Tijion Esho

UK-based Nigerian surgeon loses licences in sex for Botox scandal

A United Kingdom-based Nigerian doctor, Tijion Esho, has lost his medical licences after being found guilty of giving free Botox injections in return for sex, Telegraph reports.

Esho is known for his medical opinion and commentaries on cosmetic surgery discussions on popular Television programmes, including ITV’s This Morning, BBC’s Morning Live and E4’s Body Fixers.

He was also regularly consulted on Body Fixers for E4, a channel operated by Channel 4, which aired for two seasons in 2016 and 2017 and made appearances on segments of BBC’s Morning Live until the summer of 2022.

Esho is the founder of the Esho Clinic, which also has locations in London, Liverpool, and Dubai and has a host of celebrity clients.

While appearing before a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service on Monday, he confessed to an improper emotional relationship with the woman, referred to as Patient A, with whom he exchanged “inappropriate” sexual messages on Instagram.

He argued that he never had any physical sexual contact with Patient A, who provided sex services via OnlyFans and webcams.

But, an MPTS panel sitting in Manchester ruled earlier this month that Dr Esho did have sexual intercourse with Patient A at his clinic in Newcastle upon Tyne in 2021 and administered Botox free of charge.

It was reported that the tribunal also ruled that, at a consultation months earlier, he had stroked her hair and rubbed himself against her after he made inappropriate comments about the shape of her bottom.

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The tribunal also established that the doctor, last year, made similar remarks to Patient A and allowed her to masturbate him.

Hence, the tribunal found Dr Esho’s fitness to practise was impaired because of his misconduct and the tribunal announced on Saturday that Esho’s name should be removed from the medical register.

The tribunal’s reasons for imposing the sanction will be released next week.

According to the Telegraph, among the “inappropriate” Instagram messages sent to Patient A between July 2019 and February 2022 was an exchange in September 2019 when he said: “What you doing to me lol. Morning Glory. Bloody has me wanting the real thing. That’s like every man’s dream.”

In November 2019 he posted: “Why you making me bulge lol. Send more, don’t be sorry lol.”

The following month, he wrote, “Lol loving the tongue” and “Ha free mls [millilitres of botox] I’d need the whole booty and more”.

Weeks later, he told her, “My God having you for a night/every night is a dream but if we do it for me I break the doctors’ code and I’d be a dead man x lol.”

The tribunal also ruled the conduct of the doctor, also known as Oluwafemi Esho, was sexually motivated but did not find Patient A to be vulnerable because of her profession.

Botox injections, according to a medical website, Cleveland, improve appearance by relaxing muscles that cause wrinkles. They also treat medical conditions, including migraines, hyperhidrosis, overactive bladder, and eye problems.

To maintain results, treatments are repeated every three to six months.

UK-based Nigerian surgeon loses licences in sex for Botox scandal

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We need $10bn annually for five years to revive power sector – Minister

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We need $10bn annually for five years to revive power sector – Minister

A total of $10 billion is needed yearly in the next 10 years to revive the nation’s power sector, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has said.

He said this when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Power for investigative hearing over the recent electricity tariff hike by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

The minister said, “For this sector to be revived, government need to spend nothing less than 10 billion dollars annually in the next 10 years.

“This is because of the infrastructure requirement for the stability of the sector.

“But government can not afford that. And so we must make this sector attractive to investors and to lenders.

“So for us to attract investors and investment, we must make the sector attractive, and the only way it can be made attractive is that there must be commercial pricing.

“If the value is still at N66 and government is not paying subsidy, the investors will not come. But now that we have increased tariff for a Band, there are interests being shown by investors.”

He urged the lawmakers to support the process of paying the debt owed operators across the value chain of generation, transmission and distribution.

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