MOTION AGAINST THE
UNWHOLESOME AND ALLEGED FRAUDULENT CHARGES ON ELECTRICITY CONSUMERS IN AKWA
IBOM STATE BY THE PORT HARCOURT ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION COMPANY (PHEDC)
SPONSOR: RT.HON ( ELDER) ANIEKAN UKO
THE HOUSE :
NOTES that the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission is empowered by the Electric Power Sector Reform Act 2005, to ensure an efficiently managed electricity supply industry that meets the yearnings of Nigerians for stable, adequate and safe electricity supply, as well as provide quality service to its customers.
FURTHER NOTES that the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), in a bid to ensure that electricity consumers are not exploited, reeled out certain rights to be enjoyed by the electricity consumers in the country, one of which include; the right of transparent billing, which ensures that unmetered customers should charged strictly according to NERC's estimated billing methodology.
AWARE that the rights also ensures that it is not the responsibility of the electricity consumers to buy, replace or repair electricity transformers, poles and other related equipment used in supply of electricity, as well as the right to contest any electricity bill and the right to be notified by writing ahead of disconnection of electricity service.
CONCERNED that after paying so much, considering the recent hike in electricity tarrif, some communities in Akwa Ibom State are far from seeing electricity light for months let alone enjoy quality service.
Mr. Speaker/ Distinguish Colleagues this reminds me that on 13th of July 2016, the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja declared illegal the increase in electricity tarrif by NERC.
DISTURBED that despite the inability of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) to supply meters to costumers, the company's estimated billing for unmetered customers is far from being transparent, as some rural communities are often times charged as though they were residing in commercial or industrial areas.
Mr Speaker/Distinguish Colleagues, it might interest you to know that under the new tarrif regime approved by the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), there are various categories of consumers, which ranges from Residential, Rural, Commercial and industrial. These different categories of customers are also assigned different tarrif plans. For instance, the rural customers (i.e those who consume less than 50kw/h every month) have their tarrif unchanged and should still be enjoying the old rate of four naira(N4.00) per unit of electricity, while other categories of consumers also have different tarrif ranging from N24.91 per unit for residential, to N44.59 per unit for commercial and industrial customers accordingly.
FUTHER Disturbed that despite the high tarrif paid to the company, customers are more often than not, made to buy, replace or repair transformers, poles and other related electricity equipment contrary to the directives of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission
WORRIED that in most cases, customers are also made to pay for accumulated tarrif after several months of breakdown of electricity transformers or poles, when it is apparent that such customers never consumed electricity during that period.
FUTHER worried that if the attention of the management of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company is not drawn to these issues, our people will continue to be subjected to painful regime of undue and outrageous electricity billings.
The House RESOLVED to:
1. Urge the management of PHEDC to commence the distribution of pre-paid meters to her customers including rural communities operating bulk account.
2. Futher urged the management of PHEDC in Akwa Ibom State to be responsible for repairs and replacement of electricity transformers, poles and other related electricity equipment used in supply of electricity as prescribed by the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission.
3. Call on the management of PHEDC to stop charging communities for accumulated bills during prolonged period of breakdown of electricity equipment, when this communities never consumed electricity.
I SO MOVE.
I remain in my Honour,
Rt.Hon (Elder) Aniekan Uko
SPONSOR: RT.HON ( ELDER) ANIEKAN UKO
THE HOUSE :
NOTES that the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission is empowered by the Electric Power Sector Reform Act 2005, to ensure an efficiently managed electricity supply industry that meets the yearnings of Nigerians for stable, adequate and safe electricity supply, as well as provide quality service to its customers.
FURTHER NOTES that the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), in a bid to ensure that electricity consumers are not exploited, reeled out certain rights to be enjoyed by the electricity consumers in the country, one of which include; the right of transparent billing, which ensures that unmetered customers should charged strictly according to NERC's estimated billing methodology.
AWARE that the rights also ensures that it is not the responsibility of the electricity consumers to buy, replace or repair electricity transformers, poles and other related equipment used in supply of electricity, as well as the right to contest any electricity bill and the right to be notified by writing ahead of disconnection of electricity service.
CONCERNED that after paying so much, considering the recent hike in electricity tarrif, some communities in Akwa Ibom State are far from seeing electricity light for months let alone enjoy quality service.
Mr. Speaker/ Distinguish Colleagues this reminds me that on 13th of July 2016, the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja declared illegal the increase in electricity tarrif by NERC.
DISTURBED that despite the inability of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) to supply meters to costumers, the company's estimated billing for unmetered customers is far from being transparent, as some rural communities are often times charged as though they were residing in commercial or industrial areas.
Mr Speaker/Distinguish Colleagues, it might interest you to know that under the new tarrif regime approved by the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), there are various categories of consumers, which ranges from Residential, Rural, Commercial and industrial. These different categories of customers are also assigned different tarrif plans. For instance, the rural customers (i.e those who consume less than 50kw/h every month) have their tarrif unchanged and should still be enjoying the old rate of four naira(N4.00) per unit of electricity, while other categories of consumers also have different tarrif ranging from N24.91 per unit for residential, to N44.59 per unit for commercial and industrial customers accordingly.
FUTHER Disturbed that despite the high tarrif paid to the company, customers are more often than not, made to buy, replace or repair transformers, poles and other related electricity equipment contrary to the directives of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission
WORRIED that in most cases, customers are also made to pay for accumulated tarrif after several months of breakdown of electricity transformers or poles, when it is apparent that such customers never consumed electricity during that period.
FUTHER worried that if the attention of the management of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company is not drawn to these issues, our people will continue to be subjected to painful regime of undue and outrageous electricity billings.
The House RESOLVED to:
1. Urge the management of PHEDC to commence the distribution of pre-paid meters to her customers including rural communities operating bulk account.
2. Futher urged the management of PHEDC in Akwa Ibom State to be responsible for repairs and replacement of electricity transformers, poles and other related electricity equipment used in supply of electricity as prescribed by the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission.
3. Call on the management of PHEDC to stop charging communities for accumulated bills during prolonged period of breakdown of electricity equipment, when this communities never consumed electricity.
I SO MOVE.
I remain in my Honour,
Rt.Hon (Elder) Aniekan Uko
Speaking for Ibesikpo Asutan State Constituency.
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