The senate on Tuesday directed the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to immediately abolish fixed charges on electricity meters.
It also directed NERC “to a make a regulation to mandate the DISCOs to discontinue the practice of making consumers pay for meters, poles and transformers which by law are property of the DISCOs, but where the consumers provide those items, they should give notice of the provision to the DISCOs and should be entitled to recover their expenses from subsequent consumption of electricity”.
The senate further directed NERC to ask “the DISCOs to discontinue the practice of compulsory bulk metering of villages and communities in the rural areas as a consumer should have the right to elect to be part of bulk metering scheme or not.”
It equally called on the nation’s electricity regulator “to bring an end to the monopoly of the DISCOs on the sales of energy meters to enable consumers to purchase them either from the DISCOs or from any other supplier subject to the regulation and specification of NERC, and also account for all the money that has been so far collected on fixed charges across the country.”
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In a motion moved by the Sam Egwu (Ebonyi north) the senate said it was aware that the electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) since their take-off had been ripping off consumers through fixed charges and bulk metering across the country.
It observed that some areas in the country were still billed through the estimated billing system, which it said “does not make provision for payment of only that is consumed, even though bills are dished out without commensurate services being offered by the distribution companies.”
The senate said it was concerned that “despite all efforts by the government however, there has been constant level of arbitrariness, whereby electricity consumers are charged extortionate rates, fixed rate, based on the use of the billed meters installed by the then Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).”
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Debating the motion, Ben Murray-Bruce (Bayelsa) argued in support of checking the “excesses” of the DISCOs.
He said at his company “Silverbird”, the electricity distribution company keeps sending conflicting bills reaching about N20 million a month while the electricity meter in its custody.
Also speaking, Clifford Odia (Edo) aligned himself with Murray-Bruce’ argument, but stated that the senate must take a tough stand against the unsavoury practices of the DISCOs.
Samuel Anyanwu (Imo), in his argument, called on the senate to give “teeth” to its resolutions by making sure that erring electricity distribution company are held accountable.
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Other senators who spoke followed the same pattern of expressing support for the motion.
After the senate resolved to direct NERC to stop fixed charges on electricity, Bukola Saraki, senate president, hinted that a public hearing on power would he held by the senate to look at ways of moving the sector forward.
3 comments
Hope this will be implemented ASAP, because the same old NEPA system is still in use. Imagine, they have never come to read my meter (analog) yet, I receive crazy bills monthly which after numerous complain and waste of time, I still pay them.
As wonderful as this sound,who will enforce it?It is just as the trials going on,on orruption have anybody being really jailed?And seen to be in jail.A country that does not enforcebit laws that country is doomed.
The is a welcome development if and only if the senate is really serious about this issue.
NEPA, PHCN, etc which ever name she’s called will never be serious to make electricity a 247 uninterrupted supply bcos, she’s sure of at least, 750.00×1,000,000,000+ citizens of Nigerians monthly.
Pls, our senators, follow-up to the logical conclusion of this issue as the poor masses of this country, will never regret voting for a courageous and dynamic senators of your calibre.
God bless and guide you through.
God bless FGN.