FCCPC Partners NERC To Address Electricity Consumers’ Complaints

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory commission (NERC), to resolve the incessant complaints by electricity consumers in the country.

The agreement seeks to establish a single dedicated channel to which consumers can make their complaints and expect prompt response.

The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive of FCCPC, Mr. Babatunde Irukera, at the occasion, pointed out that the move was aimed towards preventing inter-agency conflicts.

He said the approach would also seek to modify structures of operation in the sector to reduce customers’ grievances.

Irukera, who noted that the commission was resolving more consumer complaints than before adding that consumer dissatisfaction had been on the increase.

He told newsmen, “That people are complaining a lot more now is actually an indication of a vibrant resolution mechanism and a confidence in it. The bad side is that we continue to have repeated complaints about the same
issues. It shows that there are some key structural modification to how businesses operate and how the sector delivers its services.”

He pointed out that the collaboration would enable them think on what material or structural changes should occur in the sector.

He said, “We have to resolve consumers complaints and modify the nature of business in that space to a point where the dissatisfaction is reduced.”

Earlier, NERC Chairman, Sanusi Garba said the new platform would help miminise friction among regulatory agencies.

He said the arrangement was to consolidate areas of cooperation between the two agencies, “so we don’t have two regulators working against each other. There are merits in the collaboration and synergy that can be derived in the collaboration.”