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NERC sets up customer complaints ‘appellate courts’

By Emeka Anuforo
15 April 2016   |   2:42 am
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has established 16 customer complaints forum offices.
Chairman NERC Dr.Sam Amadi

Chairman NERC Dr.Sam Amadi

• UNIDO advocates small hydropower plants to boost electricity

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has established 16 customer complaints forum offices.

Officials say this was established as an appellate court within the operation area of every electricity distribution company (Disco) to resolve customer complaints not resolved at the Disco level.

Speaking at the commissioning of the Akwa Forum Office in Anambra State, yesterday, Acting Chief Executive Officer of NERC, Dr. Anthony Akah, explained that the forum is a body charged by the commission to hear and resolve all unresolved customer complaints emanating from the Customer Complaints Units of electricity distribution companies.

“The forum, which is an appellate court is established within the operation area of every electricity distribution company,” Akah explained.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Industrial Organisation (UNIDO) is seeking the collaboration of states to establish small hydro power plants across the nation to boost electricity supply.

UNIDO announced in Abuja yesterday that it had conducted studies that identified over 200 sites that could be harnessed into small hydro power plants.

Each of the proposed plants would be capable of generating about 3.1MW, the organisation said.

Akah stressed that each of the 16 offices has a representative from the industrial customers nominated by Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN); a representative of commercial customers nominated by the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA); a representative of household customers nominated by the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), a representative from a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) nominated by NERC, an electrical engineer nominated by the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and an administrative/forum secretary who is a NERC staff.

Akah said: “It is important to note that an electricity customer must first report any grievance to the Customer Complaints Unit (CCU) of the distribution company before bringing such unresolved complaints to the forum, if it is not resolved at the CCU level.

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