TheCable

Consumer right groups say the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) did not consult them before approving a new tariff review for electricity customers in the country.

On Wednesday, the regulator approved a minor review of the 2015 multi-year tariff order (MYTO) for each electricity distribution company (DisCo).

This has elicited reactions from consumers, groups and stakeholders in the Nigerian electricity supply industry (NESI).

NERC stated that the decision to increase the tariff was taken after consulting electricity distribution companies (DisCos) and stakeholders in the sector.

The commission said the step is geared towards addressing the tariff deficits pursuant to the objective of “resolving the impairment of the financial records of DisCos”.

However, speaking at a programme on African Independent Television (AIT) on Monday, Kunle Olubiyo, president of Nigerian Consumers Protection Network, said they were not consulted before the decision on tariff review was made.

“It is our expectation that the present leadership of NERC in doing anything, even for the nuisance value, should know that we are at the receiving end,” Olubiyo said.

“Just like the meter asset provider, we have said it times without number that you cannot shave a man’s head in his absence, This tariff and the meter asset provider that is trending now is to the best of our knowledge supposed to be for the consumers. We were not consulted.

“The NERC position is that there is no extant rule or enabling law of NERC that says certain individual or group must be consulted. They are shying away from quality contribution.”

Speaking, Onu Uche, executive secretary of Consumers Rights Project, said NERC should have extended invitation to stakeholders. He added that the commission has been unfair to electricity consumers in the country.

Joe Ajaero, general secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), reiterated that the stakeholders were never consulted, which he says was wrong.

“No matter the name they gave to it, they have increased tariff. I want you to watch out the electricity tariff this month. NERC has been taken people for granted,” he said.

“In the last few weeks, they organised a kind of mock consultation around the country and they want to use it as the required consultation by law to increase tariff and I think it is wrong.

“The law says they should consult the stakeholders. When they were holding the consultation, some of us raised the alarm because stakeholders were never consulted. They don’t consult.”