Reps Orders StarTimes to Review Increased Tariff

The House of Representatives has given  StarTimes, pay TV provider, two weeks ultimatum to review its subscription fees to reflect the current Value Added Tax (VAT).

This was fallout of a resolution reached on Tuesday by an Adhoc Committee of the House, investigating the non-implementation of Pay as You Go tariff hike by broadcast satellite service providers in the country.

Uyime Idem, chairman of the committee, said the decision was to allow the company liberty to review the tariff while taking consideration of some variables such as exchange rate in the interest of Nigerians.

The committee expressed displeasure over the hike in price of StarTimes subscription to it’s customers, especially at a time when Nigerians were going under serious economic hardships occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.

StarTimes had increased its subscription fees by 30%, following the implementation of the the new 7.5% VAT by the Federal Government prompting the House of Representatives to commence investigation into such increments.

Addressing the lawmakers, Tunde Aina, chief operating officer of Startimes however explained that the organisation is currently operating the pay as you watch tariff to meet the aspirations of a section of the Nigerian society who are sparsely at home at the day, week, month and year round.

He told the committee that the new tariff regime was to enable the company offset some extra costs incurred in the cause of its operations due to high exchange rate.