EPILEPTIC POWER SUPPLY: FG gives marching orders to Discos on metres

ENUGU—The Federal Government has given marching orders to
Electricity Distribution Companies, DISCOs, in the country to supply pre-
paid metres to electric consumers without further delay.
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN,
made this known at the end of his third monthly meeting with operators
in the power sector at the Ugwuaji Transmission Station, Enugu,
yesterday.
Fashola said that the meeting discussed the issue of availability of gas,
volatility of the foreign exchange market, financial capability of Discos as
well as difficulties of prising gas in dollars instead of the local currency
among others, adding that Discos must live up to their responsibilities of
meeting the demands of their customers to supply them with pre-paid
meters to avoid estimated billings.
Earlier before the meeting, the Minister had asked the Discos to always
engage their customers by informing them promptly about any power
outage and reasons for such problems.
According to Fashola, it was not the business of the government to
explain to Nigerians why certain Discos were not meeting up with their
responsibilities, having sold the various companies to them.
Fashola said government was playing the same role which the Nigerian
Communications Commission, NCC, was playing as regulator for the
telecommunications companies adding that each of them must step out
to play their roles effectively.
“If you are not getting power from the transmission company, you must
tell your customers so. The issue of review of tariff was arrived at after
consultations. You (discos) did the consultations. Why don’t you step
out and explain the issue to your customers. All of us must explain to
our different customers where we operate,” he said.
The communique issued after the meeting read: “The Honourable
Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN,
chaired the third monthly meeting of operators in the electricity industry
in furtherance of identifying, discussing and finding practical solutions to
issues facing the Nigerian electricity supply industry.