‘Prepaid metering: Extend Discos August 31 deadline to meter MDAs to all Nigerians’
More reactions have continued to trail the recent matching order handed down to all Discos by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to meter all ministries, departments and agencies of both federal and state governments before the end of August.
The order was contained in a regulatory order that was issued to each of the 11 power distributors.
However, majority of Nigerians who had been encountering hard times in getting the meters are calling on the industry regulator to extend the mandate to all Nigerians who been struggling even after paying for months to get metered.
A cross-session of unmetered customers who spoke to our correspondent said it will amount to selective justice for NERC to issue such separatist directive to Discos knowing full well that Discos had been dribbling and frustrating their customers in getting prepaid meters to run away from the evil of estimated billing.
Business Hilights recalls that the order, which was signed by the Chairman, NERC, James Momoh, and the Commissioner, Legal Licensing and Compliance, NERC, Defe Akpeneye, became effective July 1.
NERC recalled that “This order reiterates that the responsibility and initiative for revenue collections from all customers including ministries, departments and agencies of states and Federal Government rests with the Discos.
“Accordingly, this order makes it mandatory for all Discos to meter all MDAs with appropriate meters of their choice within 60 days from the effective date of this order.
“This order shall be effective from 1st July 2019.”
However, the NERC order came with a caveat for Discos to disconnect any MDA defaulting on the payment for electricity in line with the Regulation on Connection and Disconnection Procedures for Electricity Services.
