I, Comrade Adekunle Adeyemi Taofeek (Scott), write on the challenge of lack of power and the problem of crazy bills which consumers of electricity in Nigeria are still being subjected to, which imply that the Distribution Companies (DisCos) could be sued for poor service delivery unlike in the past, when NEPA could hardly be dragged to court by aggrieved consumers.
We, the residents of Agric road and its environs, Egan, Igando, Lagos State compel the Government of Nigeria to immediately suspend and remove the regime or system of Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) which was introduced to the payment system of the Power Holding Corporation of Nigeria (PHCN).
This, in the first instance, is daylight robbery on Nigeria. If truly PHCN has been privatized, it is a pound of flesh being dubiously cut off Nigerian flesh monthly. This is the main reason PHCN has not performed and it has been ineffective. Whether Nigerians are supplied with electricity or not, it is a must for them to pay the fixed rate; this has been the only reason those that acquired the power industry have resorted to laziness and turned a deaf ear to performance and efficiency.
The deliberate stealing from hard working and law abiding citizens by power distribution companies is a direct reflection of the depth our society has sunk into. Some fellows sit behind a table and allocate cost and ridiculous charges for power never consumed and the impunity that accompanies this is better imagined.
The Consumer Protection Council Act was enacted to provide for the establishment of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) to aid speedy redress of consumer concerns whenever such needs arise. The CPC was created by law to deal with consumer complaints through negotiation, mediation and conciliation.
Apart from CPC, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) was established by an Act of Parliament to eliminate from the market hazardous products and dubious methods designed by crooked individuals to produce fake and substandard products.
There is also the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), created by law to regulate the food, drug, and cosmetics industry and market to ensure standards and protect consumers from ingesting or using harmful products.
Just as there exists CPC, NAFDAC, and SON, among others, the power sector also has the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) whose mandate also touches on consumer complaints and the protection of consumer rights.
However, despite the fact that there are existing laws and regulatory bodies established to protect consumer interest, consumers have hardly approached them to enforce their rights.
Nigerian consumers are known for their docility in that they are more than likely to do nothing, even in the face of wanton frustration of their legitimate expectation by manufacturers of consumer products or service providers.
Some of the many problems faced by Nigerian consumers range from little to no supply of power, extortionate banking levies, wanton increases in food prices, among others. There is also the problem of low literacy levels and lack of information among Nigerian consumers as they are hardly conscious of their rights.
Although they constitute the largest economic group, and are also most affected by decisions taken in both the public and private economic spheres, yet their views are often not heard, respected or taken account of by the decision makers.
On this note, we implore the Federal Government and Lagos State Government to look into this as we can’t continue to pay exorbitant fees for darkness in our community.
Yours in struggle
Comrade Adekunle Adeyemi Taofeek (Scott)
Comrade Adekunle Adeyemi Taofeek sent this via princescott86@gmail.com
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