Electricity: NERC To Reduce Charges

The Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), says it is working towards expunging some of the charges in its billing system.

Mr Samuel Amadi, Chairman of the commission, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen yesterday in Lagos.

He said that the commission was currently reviewing some charges in the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO).

Amadi said that the commission’s position was that customers should just pay for services they enjoyed and should not be charged for what they did not enjoy.

He said that fixed charges were part of the practice in the utility industries, including the telecommunication.

“ The main issue is that such charges have to be transparently administered so that the customer will know why he or she is being charged.

“Meter maintenance charge will not be part of the new tariff because it does not disclose a service that the customer enjoys.

“Other service can remain as long as they are fair and reasonable and go to a specific service the customer enjoys,’’ he said.

Amadi, commenting on the July 1 date for new electricity tariff, said that the date was not an imposition by its leadership.

According to him, in 2008, the first MYTO was established to last till 2013 and

the tariff framework provides that on June 30, the average tariff will increase marginally.

“ Since we have not finished our MYTO review, we cannot interfere with that order because it is a matter of law.

“The distribution companies are gearing up to charge the slightly adjusted tariff since the law allows them to do so until we finish the review,’’ Amadi said.

From right: TUC President, Comrade Peter Esele, NLC President, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, and NLC Deputy President, Comrade Promise Adewusi, at a news conference on the implementation of national minimum wage in Abuja, yesterday