NERC Urges Electricity Distribution Companies To Provide Consumers With Prepaid Meters

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has called on electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to “meter’’ consumers, who have paid for various types of meters since November 2013.

The Acting Chairman of NERC, Dr Anthony Akah, made the call in Abuja on Tuesday at a meeting with representatives of distribution companies.

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“Before we conclude our investigation we want to use this opportunity to ask any distribution company that has collected money from any consumer since November 2013 for meter and has not metered him that it is a criminal offence.

“You can’t hold the consumers’ money.

“Between this time and the time we are verifying, find a way to go and meter these consumers, because the kind of complaints we get on our table every day is as huge as this.’’

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According to Akah, it is the responsibility of the distribution companies to provide meters to consumers in line with the tariff model all over the world,.

He said Nigerian electricity consumers were desirous of constant electricity supply in the country.

“Nigerian consumers certainly need 24 hours light that is the most important thing they want to hear.’’

He said the commission’s engagement with the consumers showed that they were dissatisfied with estimated billing rates, noting that they desired an end to unfair estimation.

He said the greatest challenge facing the commission as a regulator was metering, noting that efforts were on to mitigate the challenge.

“We must protect the consumers; there is no going back on our resolve to step up our monitoring mechanism to stop unfair billing of Nigerian consumers. It is grossly unfair.’’

He said that NERC had written to the distribution companies requesting for clear information on the consumers metered over the years.

Credit: NAN

Buhari, APC Must Rescue Chibok Girls, Provide Uninterrupted Electricity, Others- Ekweremadu

The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has tasked the Peoples Democratic Party National Assembly Members-elect on being a credible opposition. Mr. Ekweremadu said “being in opposition is not a life sentence for any party.”

He spoke at a retreat organised by the Forum of PDP National Assembly members-elect for its members in Port Harcourt on Monday. The retreat was themed, The Role of the Opposition in Facilitating Development and Good Governance.

In a press statement, Mr Ekweremadu said that being in opposition is an opportunity for soul-searching and self-reconstruction. “It is also for providing healthy, robust, vigilant, and responsible opposition, which is critical to democratic growth and good governance,” he said.

“The PDP lawmakers in the 8th National Assembly should not only hold the APC accountable in terms of their list of promises, but also in accordance with the timeline they gave in the course of the campaigns.

“They should be able to bring exchange rates down to one naira to one US dollar, bring back the Chibok Girls, eradicate terrorism and insurgency, stamp out corruption, create two million jobs every year, provide uninterrupted electricity supply, and fulfill other campaign promises or prepare to hand over power to the PDP in 2019…”

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