Tariff hike: Reps summon DSTV
The House of Representatives has, again, summoned the management of DSTV over increment of the cable television’s subscription tariffs on June 1. The House Ad Hoc Committee Investigating the Non-Implementation of ‘Pay As You Go’ Tariff by Satellite Broadcast Service Providers issued the summons, asking DSTV, owned by South Africa-based Multichoice, to appear before it next Tuesday. At its investigative hearing in Abuja on Tuesday, the committee gave StarTimes two weeks to review its subscription fees to reflect the current new 7.5 per cent Value Added Tax. StarTimes, which is domiciled with the Federal Government owned Nigerian Television Authority, had increased its subscription rates by 30 per cent, claiming VAT increment and increase in number of channels provided. The committee, however, faulted the claim. Chairman of the committee, Mr Uyime Idem, said the directive was to allow Startimes to have a tariff that reflect the current economic realities, including the VAT and exchange rate. The lawmakers decried that the tariff hike came at a time when Nigerians were suffering serious economic hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Punch
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