The Chief Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission, Hon. Bashir Abubakar, has directed all states offices of the Commission to set up Electricity Consumer Complaints Resolution Desk.
In a statement made available to News Contact Online by Emma Ugboaja, FCT office of the Commission said the initiative became necessary based increasing complaint of electricity consumers.
Abubakar said the offices should be provided with schedule officers who's capacity shall be developed to resolve all complaints arising from the services of Electricity distribution companies across the country.
Hon Abubakar gave this directive while declaring open a one day Federal Capital Territory Electricity Consumer Complaints Resolution Workshop organized by the Federal Capital Territory office of Public Complaints Commission held today at the Cyprian Ekwensi Arts and Culture Center in Abuja.
While commending the Association for Public Policy Analysis for partnering with the FCT office of the Commission to organize the event, Hon. Bashir, noted that this kind of collaboration between Government and non state actors is encouraging and hoped to sustain it to ensure that State offices key into this vision for protection of rights of electricity consumers in the country through resolution of their complaints.
He stated that the National headquarters of the Commission will take the event as a pilot which shall be replicated in the 36 States of the federation and Local Government Councils stressing that this kind of workshop is needed now that State Electricity Markets are emerging because of the power given to States by Electricity Act 2023 to generate, transmit and distribute electricity.
"We are aware that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has given license to some State Electricity Regulatory Commissions, it will therefore be of great advantage to the States that Public Complaints Commission takes up the responsibility of ensuring that complaints of consumers in States are not ignored as this will enhance peaceful and consumer satisfactory electricity service delivery" the Chief Commissioner noted.
Hon Abubakar who was attending his first public function since assumption of duty a fortnight ago as the 5th Chief Commissioner of PCC since the return of democracy to Nigeria in 1999 urged the relevant institutions in the public and private sector in the country to open their doors for PCC officials who shall be directed to diligently carry out functions of electricity consumer’s complaints resolution while noting that the workshop is most encouraging giving that members of the National Assembly whom the Commission report to are present to make input in discussions.
In his welcome address at the occasion, the FCT Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission Hon. Musa Dikko enumerated the powers of the Commission to include receipt of, initiation and resolution of Complaints bothering on administrative injustices stressed that the Commission under his watch in FCT can't sit and watch electricity consumers being shortchanged and outrightly ripped off by electricity distribution companies through illegal billing, manipulative disconnection of electricity and undue practices in the industry.
Hon. Dikko who said the idea of the Workshop arose given the myriad of complaints flooding the commission and the need to provide a forum for customers to speak out and avoid taking the law into their hands.
The occasion chaired by Hon Chinedu Obika, member representing AMAC/BWARI Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives had Senator Ireti Kingibe, Senator representating the FCT represented, officials of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, The Rural Electrification Agency, and the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company in attendance.
Electricity Consumers had a field day presenting various complaints for resolution at the event.
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