Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution (PHED) company, one of the privatized companies in Nigeria, has assumed octopus status defying the decision of a vital regulatory agency, an exclusive report by Straightnews has shown.
The latest is the decision by Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Uyo Forum Office, 63 Osongama Road, Uyo directing the company to supply a prepaid meter to one of its customers.
NERC’s primary duty is protect the interests of consumers, issue licences to operators/investors, set and review electricity tariffs and where possible promote competition while Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) that birthed PHED is responsible for generating, transmitting, distributing and selling electric power to the various consumers throughout the country.
A copy of the forum’s decision made available to the Straightnews shows that on June 1, 2023, the Uyo Forum Office listened to, and decided on, a complaint no. NERC/UY/4/23/19 brought before it by Israel Umoh, a customer and complainant.
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The Uyo Forum was presided over by Chief David Udoh with Engr. Peter Umanah, Engr. Benjamin Ekanem, Mr. Patrick Emeka Chima and Engr. Dickson, Peter Akpan as members.
On the side of the respondent – Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company- were Mr. Chukwudi Adesina, Mr. Dickson Inyang, Mrs. Blessing Akpabio and Mrs. Aniekan P. Akpan.
Others were Mrs. Jane Eke, Mrs. Martina Anthony, Mrs. Emilia Asuquo and Mrs. Serah Matthew.
Complainant’s submission
The complainant had alleged that he paid for four MAP prepaid meters on July 2018 which were installed at his residence.
On Wednesday, April 24, 2019, according to him, one of the prepaid meters No.0124000613263 was found stolen and he promptly but officially reported to the Regional Manager along Four Lanes, Uyo without any feedback from company.
The complainant alleged that the meter was PHED’s property and it was incumbent on the company to have located and retrieved the pre-paid meter, if the staff were truly working.
Complainant’s Prayers
The complainant demanded that PHED was in the position to investigate the whereabouts of the prepaid meter and requested that it be tracked and returned.
He also prayed PHED to recover and return the meter as those in position of the meter are those whose business was related to the business of meter installation and PHED knew how to get them.
Respondent’s submission
PHED submitted that it was possible to block the meter but that the complainant was in the custody of the meter as it was installed on the wall of his property and not on the pole.
Forum’s findings
After hearing from the Complainant and Respondent, the forum informed PHED that the meter was their property as enshrined in the Metering Code and Distribution Code.
Forum’s decisions
The forum ruled that in line with MAP/NMMP regulation section 21.1e with regards to the responsibility of the DisCo, respondent to replace the stolen MAP meter within 10 days.
The forum directed the Respondent to investigate and retrieve the stolen meter within 10 days.
Both Respondent and Complainant were asked to appeal the ruling within 10 days.
Though the Complainant appealed the delay in implementation, PHED did not appeal the decision.
PHED’s Defiance
It was gathered that after 249 days, PHED has disobeyed the NERC’s decision and by turning deaf ears to plights of the complainant-customer has made the Uyo forum looks like a toothless bulldog.
‘‘In January 2024, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Abuja Office wrote to the complainant to appeal for review of the matter on or before January 10, 2024,’’ the Complainant stated.
”I remember in September last year, a female voice from Customers Service, PHED, Port Harcourt Office, called and promised that they were looking into the matter with a view to resolving it. After that, the voice was not heard again till date. PHED is taking many people mostly its customers for granted, From estimated bill to arbitrary charges, you know that the company has no regard for any except to make money,” he lamented.
Straightnews gathered that though the complainant had filed his appeal, PHED is still defiant in retrieving and restoring the meter, thus depriving the users of electricity supply for years now.
