Agatha Chitumu, Abuja

 

DAILY COURIER – A call has gone to the Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) not to see buy of transformers or any other assets as responsibility of electricity consumers.

 

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) gave the charge on Wednesday at a three-day NERC/ Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) Customer Complaint Resolution Meeting, in Abuja.

 

Speaking at the programme, Commissioner Consumers Affairs, NERC, Mrs Aisha Mahmud, said “It is not the responsibility of the consumers to buy meters, poles or any assets for the DisCos, noting that it has already been provided for in the tariff of the utilities.

 

“But under any circumstances that you have to purchase these item and you cannot wait for the DisCos to make that investment, we have made provision for that under our “Investment Regulation, ‘’she said

 

Mahmud said that the commission came up with a regulation called investment in the network and based on that, if a customer has to purchase a transformer, it has to be done through an agreement.

 

She said that the consumer has to sign an agreement with the DisCos stating when and how the consumer will be refunded the cost of that transformer.

 

“The agreement should contain dispute resolution clause and all other items that are expected of a standard agreement.

 

“What we expect from the DisCo is to use their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to buy those assets or rather use shareholders’ investment or borrow from the banks to purchase those assets

 

“ In the event that they are not able to buy those assets, customers can come in and they have to be refunded.

 

“So what the consumers don’t know is that regulation exists and they go about making all sorts of investment which DisCos say is a donation to them because there is no agreement, ‘’ she said.

 

” it was part of NERC’s responsibility to also educate customers on their right and obligation and all they are supposed to know about the electricity market.

 

“The commission realised that most consumers in Nigeria did not know about the existence of the regulator; they don’t know their right, they have a lot of rights that they are not aware of.

 

“It was our duty to tell them that it is their right to get a meter as Discos are not doing you any favour to issue you a meter,” she said.

 

NERC’s mandate according to her is to also educate the consumers on their responsibilities such as the issue of meter, bypass or tempering with meters.

 

“They should know that the Discos are just merely collection agents and the revenue they collect is not entirely their own as they have to pay gas suppliers.

 

“Pay the Transmission Company (TCN) and the generation companies so customers should know that once they touch the utilities they are also sub charging themselves, ‘’she said.

 

Making a remarks, Commissioner Planning Research and Strategy, (NERC), Mr Yusuf Ali, described the forum as an opportunity for customers voice to be heard and their right upheld.

 

Alli said that most times the complaints NERC got from customers was that when they complained to DisCos, the resolution took too long.

 

“But with this forum, the expectation is that complaints will be resolved quickly, ‘’he said.

 

The Managing Director of AEDC, Mr Adeoye Fadeyibi, said that AEDC was committed to meeting their customers’ demand.

 

Represented by Mrs Olajumoke Delonia. Head Regulatory and Government Relation AEDC, Fadeyibi said that the idea of the forum was to address customers’ complaints and commended NERC for their initiative.

 

“AEDC is prepared to look into the complaints of their customers quickly, ‘’he said.