By Musa Adamu
Abuja
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has clarified its earlier directives to the electricity distribution companies (DisCos), saying its directive was only against habitual debtors and a call for mass disconnection.
It said the clarification became necessary because of attempts by some electricity customers to ride on that directive to evade settlement of their debts. The commission in a statement said:
“This clarification is coming on the heels of media reportage of the Commission’s earlier directives warning electricity distribution companies against mass disconnection of cities, town and villages inclusive of customers, who have paid their electricity bills or have prepaid meters.”
While restating the commission’s position against mass disconnection, the Acting Chairman, Dr. Anthony Akah, said: “We are unambiguous in our directives that the distribution companies should observe laid down procedures in disconnecting electricity customers.
“This directive which is line with our subsisting regulation does not negate the ongoing disconnection of chronic electricity debtors by electricity distribution companies. All electricity customers including ministries, departments and agencies of government are advised to clear their electricity debts to avoid disconnections, Akah said.”
“What we frown at is a situation whereby a block of flats is disconnected without regard to the right of a customer who is update in his/her bill or a whole community is mass disconnected not minding the rights of non-defaulting customers within that community. This is absolutely unacceptable to the Commission.”
He cited section 6a & b of the Regulations on Connection and Disconnection Procedures for Electricity Services, 2007, as permitting electricity DiCos to disconnect without notice where a customer was illegally connected to its network or if such connection was hazardous to the system. “Section 5 of the same regulation further stipulates that electricity distribution companies should formally notify a customer of intention to disconnect.”
