PowerUpNigeria is an advocate of fair Electricity Distribution and Billing
\nForum. We are driven by the desire for consumers to be fairly treated and
\nto make sure as watchdogs, Electricity Distributors follow the laid down
\nregulations by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).<\/p>\n
We hereby state categorically that we support with no reservation, the
\nunbundling of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) vis-\u00e0-vis, the
\nprivatization of key structures in the power generation, transmission and
\ndistribution in Nigeria. We believe this is the way forward for our dear
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
In a country where our estimated power requirement stands at over
\n60,000MW, we are presently able to generate a meagre 4000MW (at peak),
\nwhich put us at below 10% performance. It is glaring that there is little
\nthe government can do, hence the need to involve private investors with
\nthe financial muscle and technical expertise to move the power sector
\nforward.<\/p>\n
The National Electricity Regulation Commission, headed by Dr Sam Amadi,
\nacting through the National Electricity Regulation Gazette of 2005,
\nunbundled PHCN with eleven (11) Electricity Distribution Company emerging
\nfrom the organisation.<\/p>\n
While we Support the privatization of electricity distribution for better
\nperformance, we frown, and condemn the resulting exploitation of
\nconsumers, in the name of \u201cMaintenance Service Charge\u201d or \u201cFixed Charge\u201d,
\nand the unreasonable \u201cEstimated Billing\u201d, which has caused so many
\nfamilies untold pains, not minding the hardship the present inadequate
\npower situations has put Nigerians.<\/p>\n
To guard against these unforeseen circumstances, the brains behind the
\npower sector reforms created the NERC to help regulate the activities of
\nthe would-be private investors. Aside this, there are also gazetted
\npolicies, as captured in the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (No. 6 of
\n2005), that guides the relationship between these private investors and
\ntheir customers.Again Consumers are Kings.<\/p>\n
While we do not accuse the NERC, under the leadership of Dr Sam Amadi, of
\ncolluding with the Discos to cheat Nigerians, all reasonable evidence
\npoints to the fact that the NERC, has been turning a blind eye to their
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
To start with, consumers in all over Nigeria are paying Electricity Usage
\nTax in the name of Maintenance\/Fixed Service Charge. It has also been
\nconfirmed that Electricity Consumers in Lagos are paying a lot higher than
\nConsumers in other parts of Nigeria.<\/p>\n
For Instance; Customers of Ikeja Distribution Company and EKO Distribution
\nCompany are paying N750 monthly Maintenance Charge.<\/p>\n
This is not in tandem with what their counterpart in Ibadan Distribution
\nCompany are paying, which is N500.<\/p>\n
Imagine a fee of N750 per house in Lagos alone; multiply by 1, 000,000
\nhouses, N750, 000,000 without lifting a finger, for doing nothing.<\/p>\n
The question to NERC is: Of what benefit, and to whose benefit is this
\nMaintenance Charge, or Fixed Charge? To What end? Whose pocket is it
\ngoing? Is it just to benefit the Private Electricity Distributors?<\/p>\n
This is simply another Electricity Usage Charge on Nigerians, and it
\nSHOULD BE STOPPED WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT.<\/p>\n
The Second important issue is \u201cThe Estimated Billing\u201d. The ELECTRIC POWER
\nSECTOR REFORM ACT (No. 6 of 2005) stipulate:<\/p>\n
Where there is no electricity meter to record electricity usage at a
\nCustomer\u2019s supply address, a Distribution Company shall base the
\nCustomer\u2019s bill on an estimated energy consumption which shall be
\ncalculated in accordance with a method approved by the Commission.<\/p>\n
The NERC has failed to explain to consumers who are groaning under the
\nweight of this unreasonable billing how they came about the estimated
\nbills, or how the figures are arrived at.<\/p>\n
It also follows that since billing of consumers would be an issue for the
\nnew investors, Installations of New Meters and Metering tools should have
\nbeen the first immediate concern of the NERC, and priority of the
\nDistribution Companies, but alas, as we speak, even NERC is still
\npromising that this will be done without timeline and guidelines.<\/p>\n
This injustice cannot be allowed to continue. As representative of the
\ngenerality of already downtrodden and oppressed Nigerians, who are taxed
\nmultiple times for the benefit of rich few, resist any further effort of
\nthe NERC to shack their responsibilities of defending the millions of
\nNigerians who are already suffering the ripple effects of inadequate
\npower.<\/p>\n
We therefore demand that:<\/p>\n
1. The illegal and oppressive N750 Fixed Charge be REMOVED immediately,<\/p>\n
2. A proper audit of every house be carried out, and the concept of
\n\u201cEstimated Billing\u201d should be done according to the regulations. and the
\nformular for estimated billing must also be revealed to Consumers,<\/p>\n
3. Lastly, the Electricity Distribution Companies should start the
\ninstallations of Meters immediately.<\/p>\n
If there is no responsive action from ALL Authorities involved across the
\ncountry, we would be forced to seek further legal and industrial actions.<\/p>\n
We have suffered enough in Nigeria.<\/p>\n
Thank you,<\/p>\n
God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!<\/p>\n
Signed
\nAdetayo Adegbemle
\n@PowerUpNG<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PowerUpNigeria is an advocate of fair Electricity Distribution and Billing Forum. We are driven by the desire for consumers to be fairly treated and to make sure as watchdogs, Electricity…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3259,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23164","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pointblanknews-investigations"],"yoast_head":"\n