NERC, Consumer Protection Council Collaborate On Metering, Consumers Satisfaction

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) towards ensuring compliance in the service agreement which Power Distribution Companies (DISCOs) had with the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) in view of metering all electricity consumers across the country.

Acting Chairman, NERC,   Dr. Anthony Akah, who expressed his optimism on the effectiveness of the collaboration of the two organizations to ensuring consumers protection and satisfactions, however registered his regret over the high increase of gas pipeline vandal and also advocated for called for more sanctions against the culprits.

Akah specifically said that the two organizations will work together to ensure that consumers who paid for prepaid meters are provided with them with 60 days or exemption from consumption payments until the meters are installed.

“It is our believe that with this collaboration with the CPC, complaints that may arise in the course of the implementation of the good tariff and other electricity consumers related ones would be effectively managed and addressed in line with the Commission’s redress mechanism.

"The CPC has a member in each of NERC’s consumer forums located nationwide; we intend to intensify enforcement of consumer protection regulations on metering, billing and the perennial complaints of estimated customers. There shall also be concerted efforts aimed at  reducing the incidence of estimated billing and eventually eliminating them completely.