By Suleiman Anyalewechi
Concerned about the absence of appropriate channels for the ventilation of complaints arising from poor service delivery, arbitrary estimated billing, and other unwholesome activities by power consumers, the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Aba Branch, has called on the industry regulator, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission NERC to set up a Forum within the Aba metropolis for the purpose of entertaining customers complaints.
The Forum to be sited to serve the nine Local Councils under the operational jurisdiction of the Aba Power Limited, the distribution arm of the Power Generating outfit, Geometric Power Plant, otherwise known as Aba Ring Fence, the NBA noted, is in line with extant laws and regulations guiding the industry.
The Aba NBA in the letter dated May 20, 2024, addressed to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NERC, and made available to The Source on Wednesday May 22, argued that the establishment of a forum within the operational area of APL will minimize the risk of traveling to Umuahia, the State Capital by aggrieved customers, save man-hours for APL and its customers, as well as ensure that complaints are not escalated, but resolved amicably.
The NBA letter jointly signed by Innocent Egwu and K.C. Okoro, Chairman and Secretary respectively, also requested the regulatory agency to mandate APL to publish on its website, print and distribute free of charge to its customers the extant subsidiary regulations guiding the industry as made by the NERC so as to appraise them of their rights and obligations.
“We, as public interest and advocacy group, hereby bring to your notice the urgent need to establish a Forum in the Area of operations of Aba Power Limited which is the distribution licensee in charge of nine Local Governments of Abia State, inclusive of Aba, the Headquarters of APL, which is the commercial nerve centre of Abia state .
“It is instructive to note that the nine Local Governments of Abia State, inclusive Aba, which constitute the area of operation of APL, were hitheto under the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company EEDC and
and the Forum located in Umuahia the state capital.
“As the nine Local Governments inclusive Aba are now within the area of operation of APL and outside the jurisdiction of EEDC, there is an urgent need to establish a Forum within the area of operation of APL as required under your regulations namely, the customer complaint handling,standards and procedures,( see article 1 page 7) of the regulations which requires that the Commission shall establish a Forum for hearing and resolving of customers complaints in the operational areas of any distribution licensee at a date set out in the order of the Commission.
“It is apposite to note that the above provision of your regulations is mandatory and the importance of establishing a Forum within the area of operation of each distribution licensee can not be overemphasized.
“The establishment of a Forum within the APL operational areas will minimize the risk of traveling to Umuahia by aggrieved customers,save man-hours for APL and its customers and ensure that complaints are not escalated ,but resolved amicably and expeditiously which will in turn promote cordial relationships between APL and its customers ” part of the NBA letter reads
