.Ekiti to establish electricity regulatory commission — Oyebanji

The National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has said that the administration of President Bola Tinubu would soon bridge the metering gap in the country by unveiling policy that would ensure mass metering of every household by electricity distribution companies.

The commission explained that the Federal Government is committed to improving electricity supply to homes and organisations to fulfil its Renewed Hope Agenda for the citizens and grow the nation’s economy.

The NERC Vice Chairman, Dr Musiliu Oseni, who spoke, at the weekend, in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state, during the commissioning of Ado-Ekiti Forum Office of NERC, said that metering of homes was of great concern to the commission.

He explained that the new office being commissioned would serve as a complaint centre for citizens, especially electricity consumers, on challenges faced with the distribution company, assuring that all identified issues would be promptly resolved.

Oseni revealed that the commission has set up a five-man committee in the office to serve as arbiter, noting that citizens have the right to petition the headquarters if not satisfied with the resolutions from the state office.

According to him, NERC was committed to achieve its core mandates of regulating and controlling activities in the electricity sector, calling on the consumers to play their roles by paying for services rendered by the distribution company.

He said: “Every Nigerians deserve to have meter and the present government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu is working on metering policy to have mass metering for everyone in the country

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), Adeolu Ijose, commended the NERC for its commitment towards better and improved electricity supply in the country.

He assured consumers in Ekiti and other franchise areas that the company would remain undeterred in its determination to deliver quality and better services to the customers.

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji lamented that the state has been battling with poor electricity supply, saying it only gets 18 megawatt instead of about 200 megawatt needed to have stable supply.

Oyebanji, represented by the Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Professor Bolaji Aluko, said that the state government was committed to addressing the transmission challenges in the state.

He said that the state government has already spent up to N500m on the 33kva lines to ensure that the state is not in darkness.

As part of efforts at ensuring adequate power supply, the governor added that the Ekiti Electricity Reform Act has been passed by the state house of assembly, which provides for the establishment of a regulatory body.

He urged the commission to play its regulatory role by ensuring that the distribution companies, especially BEDC, provide meters to every home in the state instead of the controversial estimated billing system.