Electricity Consumers Demand Scrapping Of DisCos Over Poor Performance

Many electricity consumers in some parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have called on the Federal Government to scrap the Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) due to their non-performance.

The consumers made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.

They urged the government to look into activities of the DisCos by either scrapping them, adding that this would form part of efforts to address the challenges in the industry.

Mr Kinsley Edobor, a civil servant residing in Lugbe said that some DisCos were performing below expectation, adding that it would be better if they were scrapped.

Edobor said that consumers were asked to repair transformers when it goes bad even after paying electricity bills.

”What is the duty of the DisCos, if we are to pay to repair transformers when we are paying our bills.

”My appeal to the government is that these DisCos should be scrapped and alternative put in place to provide steady electricity for Nigerians,” he said.

On her part, Mrs Ngozi Obi, a business woman, residing in Lugbe, said that most DisCos were not providing infrastructure to improve power supply.

According to her, if there is a problem in an area, consumers are asked to contribute to fix it.

”We are not happy with the way most of these DisCos are operating, how can consumers be the ones to pay for everything even when they pay their bills.

”Government should scrap these DisCos or call them to order to do the right thing,”she said.

Mr Solomon Umokoro, a welder residing in Kuje, said that most of the DisCos were performing below expectation and so should either be scrapped or made to do the right thing.

Umokoro said that most of the consumers pay bills in spite not enjoying the services rendered by the DisCos.

He said that the government should do away with the DisCos and handle the issue of electricity itself.

“We are tired of most of these DisCOS, we pay bills and they are not providing us the services required.

“My appeal is that government should do away with these DisCos and look for a way to provide electricity for its citizens,” he said.

Also, Mrs Moji Adesola, who resides in Kuje said that for electricity to be stable in the country, government must do away with the distribution companies.

According to her, if the DisCos are removed, power supply will improve and consumers will enjoy the value of their money.

“My appeal is that DisCos should be scrapped to enable Nigerians enjoy steady electricity,” she said.

Mr Thomas Oche, who resides in Area 1, said that Electricity Distribution Companies were not performing as expected so government should do away with them.

According to Oche, most of the DisCos overbill consumers but they are not giving the services expected of them.

”It is better we do away with them and find other ways of providing stable power supply to consumers, ”he said.

An expert on power, Mr Princewill Okorie, has called on the Federal Government to establish a national monitoring team to check activities of the Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos).

Okorie, who is also the Executive Director of the Electricity Consumer Protection Advocacy, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.

According to him, there is a need to put in place a national monitoring team, a distinct organisation comprising people in government, civil societies,  consumers, private sector operators and institutions implementing policies in the power sector.

“So that the team can effectively monitor the activities of  DisCos and other segments of the sector, ’’he said.

According to him, the DisCos are violating constitutional provisions; they are violating constitutional fundamental human rights of citizens in the  sector.

”They disconnect you, they don’t give room for fair hearing in line with section 36 of the Constitution which stipulates that there should be fair hearing

“Why will a DisCo disconnect a consumer and accuse him of bypass without no court hearing, no police, no investigation or prosecution.

“The way these DisCos are operating, if they are not disbanded they might bring about anarchy because they behave as if they are above the law’’.

Okorie also alleged that the electricity distribution companies use the investments of consumers to make money without refunding them, thus violating the third party investment regulatory policy.

He said that the DisCos were over billing consumers, adding that they had refused to  obey the capping rule of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) which was the regulator in the industry.

“NERC has also directed that distribution companies should carry out sensitisation programmes for consumers for them to know how their complaints unit function, they don’t do it,  they dwell on lies.

“They are using Band A as an excuse to deny people in other bands electricity which is a sustainable energy according to the United Nations programme of which Nigeria is a signatory.

“Why will some people be denied electricity on the flimsy excuse that DisCos  are not making money, who audits their accounts since 2013 that they took off,” he said.

According to him, the distribution companies keep saying they are operating at a loss.

Okorie said that if they were operating at a loss from 2013 to 2025, would they had remain in business.

“I am of the opinion that government should take the issue of the DisCos seriously to enable it provide reliable power supply to its citizens,’’ he said.