Over-billing, faulty transformers, metering glitches top complaints

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has said that overbilling, community transformer problems, disregard for metering, and regulations from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) were the major complaints the commission has received from Nigerians in recent times.

The FCCPC Acting Executive Chairman, Mr Adamu Abdullahi, disclosed this in Lagos on Saturday at the closing stage of the four-day forum held by the commission to address Nigerians’ complaints in the areas of billing, metering, transformers, connection, disconnection, customer service, and other electricity consumer issues.

Mr Abdullahi noted that the forum became expedient after receiving the highest number of complaints from Nigerian centres on the power sector, which informed the support secured by the commission from the MacArthur Foundation to embark on a nationwide tour to meet Nigerians and hear their complaints.

Abdullahi, who also called on the electricity distribution companies in the country (DisCos) to design a quick response mechanism for addressing Nigerians’ complaints within their networks, said the forum was an intervention to bring all the stakeholders together to listen to consumers’ complaints and resolve them.

He said: “The major complaints received from all over the country are over billing, community transformer problems, disregard of metering and regulations from NERC with respect to disconnection, energy tapping, and tariff band classification

“Other issues also had to do with account reconciliation, adjustment bottlenecks, disconnection without notice, and billing before connection of the billed property with electricity.

“These are issues that are very serious for consumers, and when they request reconciliation, most times the DISCOs are not forthcoming.

“That is why complaints are brought to the NERC and FCCPC, which is the last resort apart from the court,” he stated.

The FCCPC boss, however, advised Discos to be more forthcoming in addressing customers’ complaints quickly, adding, “This is not our core competence.”

“They have the primary responsibility of offering services to their consumers and resolving these complaints.

“The consumers should have confidence in their service providers and feel free to complain to them first because that is what the law says.

“We appeal to the complainants not to take the law into their own hands but to ensure that they lodge their complaints in the right manner.

“We are here to resolve the issues. To sit down with complainers and the people who would normally resolve these complaints.

“Our resolution is to resolve all these problems in the few days we are here or give a timeline to dispose of the complaints. If they fail, you are free to report to our Lagos office.

“We give you the assurance that, specifically, we are here for you. Please feel free to use our services.

“We are always on the ground 24/7 to sort out your problems. We will ensure that whoever is not doing the right thing is made to do what is right,” he added.

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