The Federal Government has abolished payment for electricity metres by consumers, Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Sam Amadi, has disclosed.
Amadi who disclosed this in Abuja yesterday said provision has been made for metres to be given to consumers for free in the new electricity tariff proposed by the federal government effective June 1, 2012.
He said the Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) have committed to providing metres to their customers within a period of 12 to 18 months, adding that henceforth, only metre connection fee would now be paid by electricity consumers.
Amadi who was speaking when he visited the customer service centre of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, maintained that the increase in electricity tariff was necessary for improved electricity supply and better services in the industry, which will also usher in accurate billing system.
“Customer service is the core of the new tariff order, that is why we have made customer care the niche of the new tariff. We can really improve in terms of transparency and accountability especially in billing. We (NERC) will be having periodic checks on the DISCOs because this is the most important component of the Multi Year Tariff Order,” Amadi said, even as he urged all DISCOs to have a forum office where customers’ complaints could be dealt with.
He explained that the customer forum office would constitute of staff member of the distributor company, NERC and members of the civil society organisation, who would address complaints from electricity consumers.
He also reiterated the fact that it was illegal for communities to buy their own transformers. He however, stated that apart from the PHCN,? governments at all levels could purchase and install transformers for their people, which would eventually become the property of the PHCN.
In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, Mr Abdulganiyu Umar, also stressed that it was illegal for communities to buy transformers.