Brace up to your responsibility of protecting consumers, rights group urges NERC

The Utilities Consumers Rights Advocate Initiative has urged the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to brace up to its responsibility of protecting consumers’ rights in the power sector.

A principal partner of the rights group, Akinbodunse Shadrack, made the plea during a courtesy call to  the Ibadan Zonal Office of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday.

Shadrack said that abuse of consumers’ rights by the Distribution Companies (DISCOs) had led to poor service  delivery in the country’s power sector.

According to him, in spite of the privatisation in the power sector, DISCOs still keep to the old practice of arbitrary billings and metering of consumers.

“It is unfortunate that the DISCOs which are private organisations are passing the buck of electrification projects on consumers,” he said.

He said that electricity consumers have the the right to quality service and supply which must be protected by the regulatory body.

In his remarks, the Zonal Manager, Mr Mufutau Ojo, reiterated the agency’s commitment to the promotion of human rights related issues.

Ojo, who promised that the agency would give the group adequate coverage, added that NAN remained the number one content provider for the Nigerian media.

-NAN