Lawyer wants NERC, DISCOs to obey court order on tariff increment

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(Nigeria) A Lagos-based lawyer, Mr Toluwani Adebiyi, on Wednesday urged the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, not to disregard a court order on electricity tariff increment.
In a statement on Wednesday, he urged NERC not to disregard a restraining order barring it from going ahead with its plan to effect increase in electricity tariff.
The lawyer also appealed to the electricity distribution companies not to increase their tariffs in the face of a subsisting order of the court barring them and NERC from doing so.
The lawyer, who initiated the suit against NERC, said that any attempt to increase electricity tariff would amount to ``flagrant disrespect of the judiciary and an action aimed at obstructing justice``.
Adebiyi said, ``I was shocked to watch a series of interviews on the national television granted by top officials of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company and NERC on this subject.
``In those interviews, the NERC officials advised Nigerians to get ready for electricity tariff increment. I find that action very disrespectful of the judiciary which is currently adjudicating on a case I filed against the planned increment.
``Let me make it categorically clear that I shall not hesitate to file a committal application against the Chairman/Chief Executive Officers of both NERC and the distribution companies if the threat of increment is effected.
``People must learn to accord the judiciary the respect it deserves. To be fore warned is to be fore armed.’’
Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court, Lagos, had sometime last month restrained NERC from effecting any increment in electricity tariff.
The court had ruled that the proposed increment should be put on hold pending the hearing and determination of a suit against it.
Adebiyi had in the suit sought an order restraining NERC from implementing any upward review of electricity tariff ``without a meaningful and significant improvement in power supply."
He also wanted the service charge on pre-paid meters not to be enforced ``until there is visible, efficient and reliable power supply like those of foreign countries``.

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