DisCos wait for Directive
MORE than 48 hours after the Federal Government directed that electricity tariffs be reverted to the old rates, Distribution Companies (DisCos) have not complied.
Their reason is that a directive to that effect had not been received from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
But the NERC said it was working on how to get the DisCos to comply.
“We are just typing the memo to inform the DisCos to stop the new tariffs and revert to the former one. The statement will soon be out,” NERC, chairman James Momoh told The Nation in Abuja yesterday.
Momoh explained that the regulator could not issue the directive immediately the Federal Government reached the agreement on the matter with the labour leadership because the meeting held on a Sunday.
Since the announcement of the new power rates which came into effect September 1, consumers and stakeholders have been chiding the government and the DisCos over the development.
Labour unions had threatened to commence strike on Monday over the increment before they reached a truce with the Federal Government for a two-week suspension of the new rates.
Our correspondents in Abuja, Lagos, Oyo, Rivers, Edo, Enugu, Plateau and Adamawa states reported that consumers on pre-paid meters have been paying the new rate since September 1..
Those on post-paid meters may however enjoy the two-week relief as they will pay their September bills in October.
While some of the electricity distributors said they were awaiting the NERC directive, some simply kept mute.
At the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC ) vending outlets in Byazhin Across, Kubwa, N1,000 could buy only 20.4 units of power instead of the 38.3 units of the 2015 rate.
One of the vendors said the “AEDC has not reverted to the former tariff.”
-Thenation
