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NERC inaugurates office to resolve BEDC’s power disputes

By Businessnews Staff on September 8, 2014

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has set up a forum office in Benin, the Edo State capital, to handle complaints from electricity consumers in BEDC.

The inauguration of the forum office was aimed at resolving disputes between BEDC and electricity consumers in its coverage area of Edo state.
Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, who commissioned the office, said the initiative would enhance NERC’s mandate of protecting the right electricity users across the country.

Nebo, who was represented by a Deputy Director in the Ministry of Power, Omololu Ogunleye, attributed the success of ongoing reforms in the sector to the level of interaction among stakeholders.

He called for support of the distribution companies to ensure that consumers’ rights were protected. “These companies must ensure that Nigerians have adequate power supply,” he stressed.

Ogunleye said the forum would serve as a platform and a major talk point for the resolution of electricity issues from various communities.
“The commission has the mandate to ensure that Nigerians have adequate and reliable supply of power. Let me use this opportunity to emphasise that the federal government’s efforts are quite glaring and it will not rest on it oars until it has achieved the desire to provide electricity for all.

He said: “It takes the commitment of all stakeholders and patience of the consumers to achieve this goal. There is no gain-saying that the successâ€¨of the electricity sector is dependent on the effective coordination of the sector.”

In his remarks, Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Energy and Water Resources, Chris Ebare, said the NERC forum office had long been expected.

He suggested that such offices should be opened in all the local government areas in the state to reduce the burden of people in the rural areas travelling to the state capital to lay complaints.â€¨

Chairman of NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, represented by Dr. Albert Ibrahim, explained that the forum office was set up specifically to bridge the gap between electricity consumers and the electricity distribution company in the state.

“The forum is a body charged by the commission to hear and resolve customer complaints on appeal in the operational area of every distribution licensee. Complaints that may come to the forum are complaints not settled at the customer care units situated in the distribution company,” he said.

Amadi said officials of complaints office were drawn from relevant stakeholders, which he said included the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Consumer Protection Council, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations and the Benin Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mine and Agriculture (BENCCIMA).

He however, urged electricity consumers to demonstrate understanding with the distribution company in the state, bearing in mind that the transformation of the power sector was a gradual process.

Also speaking, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the BEDC, Mrs. Funke Osibodu, who was represented by, the Executive Director, Commercial, Abu Ejoor, said the establishment of the forum office was a timely intervention to boost interaction between the company and its numerous consumers.â€¨

On his part, Chairman House of Representatives on Power, Patrick Ikhariale, said he was optimistic that the revolution in the telecoms sector would be a child’s play when the power sector becomes fully operational under private sector management.

“If we get the power sector right, we would have solved 60 to 70 per cent of Nigeria’s challenges. The business of electricity is not a tea party business. It is capital intensive; it requires commitment, interest and technical know-how to succeed”, he said.

[This Day]

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