The Nation Newspaper

Tag: CNPP

  • CNPP to FG: Clarify fuel subsidy, price modulation

    CNPP to FG: Clarify fuel subsidy, price modulation

    The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) Sunday urged Federal Government to be more open about its decision on fuel subsidy.

    CNPP said that recent pronouncements by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu have only served to create more confusion that profiteers would explore to unleash hardship on Nigerians.

    It said the explanation by Kachikwu on how government wants to modulate price without removing subsidy to achieve the proposed N85 pump price sounded questionable given that he has been oscillating between how subsidy is not being removed and how the same subsidy is not sustainable in view of economic realities on ground.

    A statement issued by CNPP’s Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu warned that the group will not sit by and watch Nigerians suffer on account of: “a government that failed to properly articulate and think its policy through,”pointing out that the latest move by the government was reminiscent of the New Year subsidy removal gift under former President Goodluck Jonathan, which Nigerians vehemently rejected.

    It said the position announced by the Minister of State for Petroleum in recent days tended towards removal of subsidy despite the denials.

    The statement reads in part: “What we found most worrisome is that the Federal Government is tactically implementing fully deregulation of the sector beginning January 1, 2016 without announcing modalities for containing exploitative cabals that could sell petroleum products for four times the global average on account of the concept of free market.

    “It is on record that only Abuja and Lagos enjoyed the N87 price while the subsidy lasted as other towns and cities bought petrol for as high as N180 per litre. We have not heard the minister said anything about remedying this anomaly that would be further compounded by a deregulated oil industry.

    “The template announced by the minster implies a market driven pricing, which is potentially volatile, given the peculiarities of Nigeria and uncertainties on the international scene. But we have not also heard how the deregulation would be managed in a way that small and medium businesses that generate their own electricity would be insulated to prevent widespread collapse of businesses.

    “CNPP is concerned that low income earners could soon be faced with life threatening choices as they are forced to make decisions between spending all their earnings on transportation and going without food to keep their jobs or to make take other desperate options.”

    The conference condemned the inability of the government to bring closure to the fraudulent subsidy issue, which it has continued to pay out even as its senior officials acknowledge that there was no need for subsidies.

    “For the government to have paid out over N1 trillion this year and for Kachikwu to have emphatically stressed that there was no need to pay subsidy means that there is a level of collusion going on between the government and the subsidy cabal. This government has simply continued the subsidy corruption from where its predecessor handed off. Nigerians therefore want a probe of the subsidies paid under the present government.

    “The Federal Government must also immediately present plans of how it will protect Nigerians from the fuel cabal since they will naturally shift their attention to extorting the populace once there are no more subsidies,” the conference demanded.

  • CNPP condemns exclusion of parties in Ekiti council poll

    With barely twenty four hours to the conduct of the Saturday’s local government election in Ekiti State, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has claimed that the results of the poll are already predetermined.

    Reacting to the revelation of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) Chairman Justice Kayode Bamisile’s revelation that five political parties would field candidates, the CNPP said the electoral agency cannot be relied upon to deliver a credible, free and fair council poll.

    In a joint statement on Thursday signed by the CNPP Chairman, Tunji Ogunlola and Publicity Secretary, Kunle Omotayo, the body accused Bamisile of “speaking from both sides of the mouth” having allegedly claimed initially that only Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates obtained nomination forms.

    According to the statement released shortly after the group’s end-of-the-year meeting in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, the CNPP “totally condemned the shoddy preparation of the state electoral empire on its inability to carry all other political parties along till date”.

    The CNPP claimed that many political parties were deliberately excluded by SIEC from participating at the election urging the aggrieved parties to remain calm as the body has resolved to seek redress in the court.

    The statement reads: “The conference expressed doubt about the impartiality of EKSIEC whose Chairman has been speaking from both sides of the mouth.

    “Prince Ogunlola took the EKSIEC Chairman, Justice Kayode Bamisile up on the contradictory statement he made that only PDP Candidates obtained nomination forms only for him to say a day after that five other political parties also obtained nomination forms.

    “This is a sign that the result of the local government polls had already been pre-determined.

    “The conference recalled that a total number of twenty one political parties collected and submitted their nomination forms while SIEC only selected five political parties to participate in the coming election without following due process.

    “The conference noted with dismay that the body language of the Commission from inception and their refusal to call all other political parties shows that the election have been concluded before the real election.

    “The conference therefore calls on security agencies to investigate the activities of the commission which has confirmed our earlier observation that EKSIEC cannot conduct a free and fair election.”

  • Kogi: CNPP cautions Wada on litigation

    Kogi: CNPP cautions Wada on litigation

    The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) Kogi State chapter has urged the Governor Idris Wada to promptly rescind the proposed court litigation against the Alhaji Yahaya Bello’s election.

    This they said will enable the governor-elect enjoy a smooth take off with his administration, next year.

    This was contained in a statement jointly signed by the state chairman, Alhaji Abdanis Abubakar Ibrahim and the secretary, Ilyas Badanga, copies of which were made available to newsmen in Lokoja Tuesday.

    They stated that the call had become imperative, in order to have a pleasant transition period and for the benefit of an inclusive government that would be mutually beneficial to all and sundry.

    The CNPP also commended the measures taken so far by Wada administration towards smooth transition of governance.

    The Kogi CNPP which comprises of ADC, DPC, DPP, ID, KOWA, NCP, PDM, UPP and YDP, all of which contested the governorship election in the state appealed to Hon. James  Abiodun Faleke, the deputy governor-elect to shift ground and allow for a synergy that will put the name of both executive leaders in the sand of history among the patriots.

    It added: “CNPP hereby challenge Hon. James Faleke to hournor the people’s clarion call to him to offer his leadership services in compliance with the party’s interest.

    “Disputations and litigations will only deafen his sensibilities against the will of the people now that matters most. Please Honourable come and join hands with the peoples administration.”

  • CNPP rallies support for Bello

    CNPP rallies support for Bello

    The election of Alhaji Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Kogi State governorship poll has been described as a fresh air destined by God to restore the state to the path of development.

    This was contained in a statement by the Chairman, Abdanis Abubakar Ibrahim, Secretary, Ilyas Badanga and nine chairmen of affiliated parties of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP).

    It urged the people to support the Bello administration, which it said was an intervention by God to rescue Kogi from underdevelopment.

    The CNPP noted that the late Prince Abubakar Audu, who was adjudged to be the founding father of Kogi State, would have died in vain, if Bello was not elected.

    It enjoined the people to bury the hatchet for the state’s progress.

    The statement reads: “Bello’s election was the first fruit of the founding father of modern Kogi, the late Prince Audu.

    “We urge all Kogites to support this young man, who is in a hurry to use his managerial acumen to uplift the state.

    “We have seen how he has achieved tremendously within a short period in business. With the support of all of us, he will take Kogi to the promised land.”

    Congratulating the electorate for ensuring a free and fair election, CNPP advised them to protect the victory to deepen the actualisation of the “generational and power shift.”

  • Cnpp urges Fayose to disburse bailout cash to workers, ex- office holders

    Cnpp urges Fayose to disburse bailout cash to workers, ex- office holders

    THE Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) in Ekiti State has urged Governor Ayo Fayose to pay allowances and entitlements of all civil servants and former political office holders captured in the bailout cash released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    In a statement by its Publicity, the Ekiti CNPP praised Fayose for stopping the airport project, advising him to channel the funds toagriculture.

    The CNPP claimed that investment in agriculture will generate thousands of jobs for the youths and ensure food security for the people.

    It urged Fayose to emulate his Benue State counterpart Samuel Ortom, who had just launched Agriculture Revolution.

    The umbrella body for registered political parties said it was shocked that many core civil servants, teachers in public schools and workers in government-owned tertiary institutions are still complaining that they are yet to be paid their entitlements from the bailout cash.

    The group recalled that Fayose promised last week during his media chat, Meet Your Governor, that all categories of workers and former political office holders owed salaries and entitlements will be paid immediately.

    “Our investigation revealed that up till now, many of the civil servants, local government workers, teachers in government-owned schools, staff of tertiary institutions and former political office holders have not been paid.

    “We want Governor Fayose to realize that his words are his bonds. We advise the governor not to do anything that will generate unnecessary controversy and anxiety.

    “We need peace in Ekiti and the Federal Government has done its best by releasing the bailout fund and the cash must be used for the purpose intended and all those due for payment should be paid without further delay”, the CNPP said.

    The CNPP also congratulated Fayose on his first anniversary in office urging him to use the second stint in power to serve Ekiti people selflessly.

    The body, however, advised the governor not to embark on new projects again but to ensure the completion of ongoing ones.

  • CNPP: Saraki should resign

    The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), Rivers State chapter, has urged the embattled Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to resign on moral grounds. It said this would enable him face his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

    Chairman Dr. Minabi Dagogo-Jack spoke when he visited the Abuja office of The Nation on Monday. He advised Saraki to step-down for proper judicial process to take place.

    “He should morally step aside to allow a free cause of this litigation. I am insisting that Saraki should step down to allow a clear environment for us to look into this matter,” he said.

    The former special adviser on Empowerment to former Governor Rotimi Amaechi said Saraki’s case with the CCT would save Nigeria’s democracy if it was handled creditably.

    Dagogo-Jack, who described the solidarity by Saraki’s Senator-loyalists as ‘too large and loud,’ added that the red chamber should not give the impression of supporting illegality.

    His words: “Remember this is the first time a person at that level is being tried by the Code of Conduct Bureau, and if handled creditably, it would save our democracy.

    “And of course, it will not carry the speculation that only the poor are being tried. So let him step down for proper judicial process.”

  • Tariff hike: NLC, CNPP, consumers plot against NERC, operators

    Tariff hike: NLC, CNPP, consumers plot against NERC, operators

    The plans to review electricity tariff  has provoked customers of the distribution companies. The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and others are angry. The consumers warn against a price hike in the face of a metering deficit, low investments in infrastructure and lingering insufficient supply.  JOHN OFIKHENUA, reports.

    Should the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Presidency approve the new tariffs being proposed by the Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOS) and Generation Companies (GENCOS), two options will be opened to customers – to pay and depend on the firms for the utility or, find alternative power source.

    If the plans are anything to go by, customers of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) will record 25 per increase, Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) will have to contend with 21 per cent hike,  Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IEDC) have a marginal  1.76 per cent increase to cope with. The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) have 19.25per cent rise to bear.  The commission’s Principal Manager, Market Competition and Rates, Aisha Mahmud, dropped the hint at a presentation to stakeholders in the sector, including the generating and distribution companies, of the Consumer Forum and others last Tuesday at Abuja. There was no information yet on what customers of  Port Harcourt, Ikeja, Eko and other companies will paying at the frozen point to allow a comparative analysis of their new tariffs.

    The upward review in tariff is coming with some contrasts that could confuse analysts to simply admit that NERC is doing electricity consumers the favour of reducing the tariff.  Truly, the commission had last year frozen the tariff at a period that the customers were expected to pay more for electricity following its bi-annual minor review. The Federal Government suspended the implementation of the said tariff increases that would have been effective from July, barely two months into President Muhammadu Buhari’s presidency.

     

     

    NERC tinkers with tariff

     

     

    But, today, NERC is reviewing the tariff in accordance with its order. The baseline for the new review is April 30, when power supply achieved marginal increase over the output recorded in the last review that was not implemented.

    Following the surge in power supply in the period under review, the average cost of electricity fell, necessitating customers to pay less. Although the tariff will be lower than the one that was not implemented, it is still higher than what it was when it was frozen last year – the price that is still effective. That the new tariff will be effective retroactively from July this year shows that the customers would pay arrears from July.

    In his opening remarks at the stakeholders’ consultation forum, NERC chairman Sam Amadi noted that the public hearing was for a minor review of the few indicators that the electricity market had to track. Dr. Amadi exonerated the commission from the outcome of the review which he attributed to economic fundamentals.

    He said: “Our job is to track them; we don’t manufacture them; we don’t create them, but we track them to ensure that they are actually reflected in the modem. We retrieve them from the official sources that are authorised by law. So, whatever you see here know that we traced the macroeconomic data as they develop over the months and feed them into our formula so that the outcome will be clear to all. The chairman urged the consumers on active participation since the burden will always fall on them. Amadi asked the advocacy network to help mobilise consumers for participation in the public hearing.

    Taking the stakeholders through the procedures and variables the NERC adopted for the review, Mahmud insisted that Section 76(8) of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act conferred the powers for adoption of a tariff methodology, the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO).

    The MYTO, according to her, provides a 15-year tariff path for the  electricity industry, with minor reviews bi-annually in the light of changes in a limited number of parameters (such as inflation, exchange rate, gas prices, and generation capacity) and major reviews every five years, when all the inputs are reviewed with the stakeholders.

    But, for this ongoing bi-annual review, Mahmud stressed that NERC obtained the data on the official rate of inflation and exchange rate for the period ending April 30, 2015, from the website of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). It also requested information on generation capacity as at April 30 from the System Operator (SO) of the Transition Company of Nigeria (TCN) and also studied the daily generation report of the SO.  The commission requested for information from the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trader (NBET) on tested capacity for all generators.

    The inflation rate that NERC received from the CBN, said Mahmud, shows a figure of 8.3 per cent as at April 30, but MYTO2 had an assumption of 13 per cent inflation rate. Subsequently, after the 2014 minor review, the inflation rate was reviewed down to 7.8 per cent.

    On exchange rate, she said that the data from the apex bank website shows an exchange rate of N197 to $1 as at April 30. MYTO-2 was benchmarked at the N178 to $1, noting that MYTO-2 also allows a charge of one per cent above the CBN rate to cover Letter of Credit and other bank charges. She said that the adopted exchange rate for the review was therefore CBN’s exchange rate +1 per cent which equals 198.97.

    Mahmud explained that gas prices had been regulated since the adoption of the MYTO in 2008 and the regulated prices were applied in the 2012-2016 price regime. She added that the Federal Ministries of Petroleum Resources, Power, the CBN and NERC reached an understanding in August last year on a gas price of $2.50/mmbtu and transport cost of $0.80/mmbtu.  There was a decision that the gas transportation cost of $0.30 should remain until the GENCOS prove otherwise like the Geregu Power Plc., which stated in its gas transportation agreement with $.75.

    In terms of generation capacity, she noted that the system operator’s daily report was used to derive the data which the commission adopted for the minor review. She said that the average peak capacity is 3,832MW while average power sent out capacity is 3,404MW.

    On the whole, a summary of the result of the minor review shows that inflation was 7.8 per cent when it was last amended in 2014. But, it hit 8.9 per cent in April 2015. Exchange rate that was N166.18 when it was last amended last year, soared to N198.97 in April. Gas price/mmbtu which was $2.80 during the last review in 2014 rose to $2.80 in April this year. Energy sent out from transmission stations that were 28,038Giga Watts/Hour (GW/h last year, increased to 32,921GWh in April 2014. The revenue requirement which was N572 billion during the last review surged to N619 billion April this year. Average retail tariff that was N26.2 in the last review dipped to N23.8 this April.

    Consequent upon the following parameters, NERC proposed that customers of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company will pay N18.41 as against the N14.70 they paying prior to the review. Had the commission implemented the tariff last year, they would have paid N19.96.

    Enugu Electricity Distribution Company that froze R2 N16.44 will pay N19.61 in the new tariff but it ought to have paid N20.89 had NERC implemented the last tariff.

    Benin Electricity Distribution Company that its R2 customers were paying N14.82 when the tariff was frozen will now pay N17.94 instead of N18.46.

    Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company that its R2 customers were paying N16.44 before it was frozen will now pay N16.73 instead of N18.00.

    The presentation was, however, silent on what other distribution companies such as Jos, Yola, Port Hacourt, Eko, Ikeja and others were paying before their tariffs were frozen to allow a comparative analysis. NERC is now taking advantage of the differences between what customers would have paid last year had it implemented the last tariff and the proposed tariff which is relatively low to announce that it has reduced tariff. The same NERC seems to be reticent on the fact that the customers will now not only pay higher, but also pay the arrears of the increase with effect from July.

    The NERC’s position

     

    Rising from the meeting, reporters asked Amadi to justify the increase and the chairman said:  “You made a good point, it was frozen. What that means is that we did the analysis the other time, but going by the low level of metering, going by the power supply, the DISCOS could forebear. We told them that they are entitled to this tariff, but we are asking you not to collect it at this stage until you improve.”

    Many DISCOS,  according to him, did not take the intervention in good fate even as it was clear that it was the global practice that regulators could freeze the market in view of some socio-economic factors.

    Amadi stressed that it would have been completely irresponsible of the commission to approve a tariff hike when a new adminstration was just assuming office in June this year. But now, the stage is set for increase because the electricity market is stable and needs to move on.

    He said: “Now, the order said six months. It will be unfrozen in June. June came and I told you why it wasn’t done: because a new government just took over on the 1st of June and that will be totally irresponsible to unlock tariff at that stage.  Now that we have some stability we need to move to the next stage. And so, we have now shown what that should be. This is a formula. It has not yet translated to anybody’s tariff. What the DISCOS will now do is to take this short-fall. I will show you the new tariff, to see the short-fall. They will put it into their modem and control it for 10 years.”

    Unlike the combative usual representatives of the distribution and generation companies at previous NERC public hearings for tariff review, the meeting penultimate Tuesday was very cordial.  It was like an adoption of minutes of a previously held meeting because the review serves the interest of the operators.

    Speaking, the Executive Director, Regulation, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) , Abimbola Odubiyi, drew attention to the fact that “NBET has already activated the PPA for Olurunsogo and Omotosho, which they are giving us currently . And that is not reflected in the tariff.”

    He overlooked the hike as it has favoured his company.

    Representative of the Geregu Power Plc., Adebiyi Adenuga, urged the commission to consider the fact that all their commitments are in naira which the exchange rate has affected adversely. He asked the NERC to allow the tariff to address the firm’s loses in the past for the period of arrears the retroactivity of the tariff will cover.

    However, some of the consumers at the meeting complained that the distribution companies take advantage of the metering deficit in the market to charge them even when there is little or no power supply.

    Speaking, the Mr. Oboma Ekoh of Nigeria Electricity Consumer Advocacy Network (NECAN), noted: “Abuja Electricity Distribution Company is shortchanging consumers particularly in the rural areas.  For instance, your tariff before this time was N14.70. And you go to the rural areas in place of R2 you give them C1, you give them A1. I am so sorry I will present you with bills because we have been conducting a research on this. I have collected samples of bills and there is a particular location in Abuja for which I have about 12 bills. In the R2 you collected N248 kilowatts per hour per month. And you billed at N14.70. You go back to people who have not had electricity for an upward of eight months since January and you billed them N4, 000 and you gave them 415kilo watts per hour. The next month you billed them 475 kilo watts per hour. The next month 466, the next month 415. And these billings, within this period there was no light. There was no distribution transformer in those areas. Now, listen to what you people do in the field. They give you a bill of N30, 000 and ask you how much you are going to pay. You tell them instead of N30,000 you have to pay N10,000. What are the parameters?

     

  • CNPP condemns violence at Ekiti PDP secretariat

    •Party urges NSA’s intervention

    Ekiti State Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has condemned the violence that broke out last Friday at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Secretariat in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    The umbrella body of registered political parties condemned what it called “raging political crisis rocking the PDP and the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC)”.

    It urged the two parties to lay good examples to other parties in resolving conflict, which it described as normal in the game of politics.

    The CNPP condemned the role played by the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State (BSES) in the crisis, accusing the state media of partisanship.

    Its spokesman, Kunle Omotayo, in a chat with The Nation yesterday, expressed shock over the violent dimension to the crisis.

    Omotayo said the CNPP viewed the crisis as “very unfortunate and undemocratic”.

    He urged players in the PDP imbroglio to embrace peace and not to allow the impasse to degenerate further.

    He said: “In the event of any conflict, there are constitutionally stipulated measures to resolve it instead of resorting to self-help. The CNPP is against anything that can lead to the breach of public peace.”

     

  • CNPP to Fayose: speak on N650m deductions

    CNPP to Fayose: speak on N650m deductions

    The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) in Ekiti State has called on Governor Ayo Fayose to break his silence on the N650 million allegedly being deducted monthly from the state’s federal allocation into the purse of an unnamed “election contractor”.

    The umbrella body of registered political parties said it was no longer comfortable with the governor’s silence.

    It said the statements by his aides on the matter were neither enough nor convincing since the money belongs to the people.

    In a statement yesterday by the Director of Publicity and Strategy, Kunle Omotayo, the group said the furore generated by the revelations required an urgent response from Fayose to calm the frayed nerves of citizens.

    The CNPP said it was Colonel Onot Ngene who first blew the whistle on the alleged deduction, after which a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Director of Research, Chief Dele Falegan and the All Progressives Congress (APC) spoke on the issue.

    It regretted that rather than reacting to the issues raised, Fayose’s aides were busy attacking personalities.

    They said this compelled the parties to seek Fayose’s direct response.

    The statement reads: “We are not unaware that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some aides of the governor had responded  with derogatory words on all the personalities that had raised eyebrows on this alleged graft, the CNPP is however advising the PDP and its cohorts to stop exhibiting flippancy and shadow boxing on serious state matters.

    “The CNPP is seriously concerned at the continuous announcement by the state government on the dwindling revenue of the federal allocation to the state inclusive of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

    “When the people have been alerted to this alleged huge diversion of funds as signposted by the imbalance in government’s financial obligation to the people coupled with the recent verification of workers, yet many civil servants, pensioners and university are being owed salaries and subventions ranging from two to four months.”

    Meanwhile, the CNPP commended Fayose and security agencies for their efforts in tackling kidnapping and robbery.

    The body implored the governor to give adequate moral and financial support to security agencies to ensure a synergy in flushing out criminals from the state.

  • ‘Rectify problem with Card Reader’

    THE Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to correct the anomalies associated with the Card Reader to avoid a repeat during Saturday elections.

    In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu, in Abuja, the CNPP described the Card Reader as an antidote to ballot-snatching and other electoral malpractices.

    The statement reads: “We salute the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for insisting on the imperative of the use of the Card Reader for the April 11 governorship and House of Assembly elections.

    “In other words, INEC has withdrawn the guideline, which it issued on March 28, 2015 in respect of the presidential and National Assembly elections held on that date; which gave room for padding of votes in certain states that nearly marred the peaceful elections.

    “It is our considered view that the Card Reader is an antidote to ballot box stuffing, ballot box snatching and padding of votes; hence ultimate reduction of electoral malpractices and all manner of irregularities.

    “On this count, we call on our member political parties to instruct their candidates to place the collective interest of our dear nation above personal political survival by using and relying only on the Card Reader.”