ENUGU – The Federal Government has given marching orders to Electricity Distribution Companies, DISCOs, in the country to supply pre- paid meters to electric consumers without further delay.

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN, made this known at the end of his third monthly meeting with operators in the power sector at the Ugwuaji Transmission Station, Enugu, Monday.

Fashola said that the meeting discussed the issue of availability of gas, volatility of the foreign exchange market, financial capability of discos as well as difficulties in of pricing gas in dollars instead of the local currency among others, adding that discos must meet their responsibilities of meeting the demands of their customers to supply them with pre-paid meters to avoid estimated billings.


Earlier before the meeting, the Minister had asked the DISCOs to always engage their customers by informing them promptly about any power outage and reasons for such problems.

According to Fashola, it was not the business of the government to explain to Nigerians why certain discos were not meeting up with their responsibilities, having sold the various companies to them.

Fashola said like government was playing the same role which the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, was playing as regulator for the telecommunications companies adding that each of them must step out to play their roles effectively.

“If you are not getting power from the transmission company, you must tell your customers so. The issue of review of tariff was arrived at after consultations. You (discos) did the consultations. Why don’t you step out and explain the issue to your customers. All of us must explain to our different customers where we operate…,” he said.

The communique issued after the meeting read, “The Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, chaired the third monthly meeting of operators in the electricity industry in furtherance of identifying, discussing and finding practical solutions to issues facing the Nigerian electricity supply industry.

odeotito:
Here's hoping this goes beyond talk! A Staff of The Customer Care Unit of the IBEDC a DISCO asks at a meeting why the prepaid metre due in 45 days is still been awaited 4 months after and she gets queried! The generation of the first line managers who ruined phcn with corruption and misappropriation are still embedded in the Discos and need to be rooted out if we must make progress in that sector.

Sijo01:
Will pre-paid meters guaranteed constant light Work on power generation, prepaid meter can follow later. What's the need of mounting meter when electricity is not guaranteed.

AZeD1:

You do know that power generation is in the hands of private companies not the government?

Tunami:
metres without light? This govt is a joker.

Sijo01:



What has this got to do with my comment?

Sijo01:
Will pre-paid meters guaranteed constant light Work on power generation, prepaid meter can follow later. What's the need of mounting meter when electricity is not guaranteed.

AZeD1:

Sijo01:
Will pre-paid meters guaranteed constant light Work on power generation, prepaid meter can follow later. What's the need of mounting meter when electricity is not guaranteed.

Toks2008:
I hope this will not be another super story

Sijo01:


Is his ministry not in charge of regulating their activities? If he can give orders for prepaid meters to be distributed, can't he give the order for them to give constant power supply to consumers