Light at the end of the tunnel

James A Momoh

Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission

 

The one sector every Nigerian agrees requires revamping is in private hands

and things are happening.

Consumers are setting dogs against the power providers and the power providers are using cultists against the consumers.

In all these, where is the regulator? It is true, their interplay is actionable but before then the regulator would have come in.

To some, what is happening now is very deplorable and I agree. But, I believe that eventually, action and reaction being equal and opposite would lead to a middle ground of mutual respect.

For crying out loud, the consumers are entitled to value for money, while the power providers are not in the business for charity.

Can you imagine that Femi Otedola would leave the Oil sector for the power sector for nothing?

A funny story from the power sector is that of a major player who was chairman of a national Bank, who collects money from fellow players ostensibly to bribe banks from asking for their facility.

Funny indeed. If the power providers are not charitable organizations so too are the banks.

The National Electricity Regulatory Commission should promptly put on their thinking caps and come up with an enduring solution to the problems rearing their heads.

Free pre paid metres have been provided and they should be given out promptly.

One of the most contentious issues of the power sector is the issue of billing. This problem will be eliminated by the use of prepaid metres whereby consumers use what they paid for as opposed to crazy bills and estimated bills.

Why the power providers are not eager for prepaid metres beats my imagination.

Fair is fair. We should move beyond voodoo bills and face reality.