Peoples Democratic Party (PDP Chieftain and former Delta state gubernatorial aspirant, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, has faulted the situation where electricity consumers are made to contribute funds to buy electricity transformers, poles and repair faulty materials.
Onuesoke, who described the act of consumers buying transformer, poles and paying for repairs of electricity faults in a statement made to newsmen as dereliction of duty by the electricity companies, argued that it is the legal duty of electricity companies to provide “working and operational equipment” regardless of the debts owed by consumers.
He, however, explained that when the cost of fixing a faulty electricity distribution asset is borne by customers, they should have a right to a refund and compensation as stipulated by NERC Act.
Onuesoke stated that the contractual responsibility to provide and maintain transformers and other distribution equipment is borne by the DisCos, stressing that it is a breach of the contractual relationship between customers and DisCos for customers to fund the repair and management of electrical assets.
The PDP chieftain added that the relationship between the customer and the distribution company is contractual in nature as stipulated by the NERC Act.
He recalled that nearly a decade after the Nigerian government handed control of a large part of its electricity sector to private investors, the sector still struggles with meeting the power needs of Nigerians, adding that despite condemnation of National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) of electricity distribution companies forcing customers to buy or repair electricity assets as a condition for the restoration of power supply the practice still persist.
“But in practice, it seems as if the consumers are the loser. When there is need to replace faulty transformers, poles or make repairs in a community for instance, the electricity companies are not forth coming.
“There are instances where some communities have been in darkness for over six months or more even when they have officially reported their faults to the electricity company. To resolve the problems they go for self help by tasking themselves to buy transformer or fix the electricity faults. When these happened, the light will come up soonest.
“This situation should not arise because the consumers pay bills and they should get better service for their money. Rather, the case is the reverse. The consumers are the one begging despite paying bills.
“Even when there are no light for months, the electricity company will bring bills covering those months of darkness. This is corporate cheating. The electricity companies see the consumers as fools. Whether they supply them light or not, they will still pay bills,” Onuesoke stated.
