Disconnecting Customers’ Electricity Supply Without 10-Day Notice Illegal – FG

Disconnecting Customers’ Electricity Supply Without 10-Day Notice Illegal

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The Federal Government has declared that disconnecting customers’ electricity supply without a 10-day notice is illegal.

Executive vice-chairman, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Babatunde Irukera disclosed this Wednesday in Calabar at an electricity consumer complaint resolution platform.

In a statement by the Executive vice-chairman, it is illegal to disconnect a consumer from a power supply source without a 10-day prior notice from the date of bill delivery.

“The massive disconnection of communities because of debt is not only illegal, it is outrageous and an abuse of the people’s right.”

Mr Irukera who lamented the abysmal service provided by the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) in Calabar and its environs, stated that an investigation reveals that the commission had performed poorly in providing services to its consumers commensurate with their bills.

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Describing as “oppressive” PHEDC’s services to residents of Cross River, Mr Irukera further revealed that the commission had recieved a report on the company’s services which includes mass disconnection carried out by the company without recourse to the law.

“I want to convey to you the incredible displeasure of the people of Cross River. According to them, especially the governor, if they have their way, they will prefer that PHEDC does not operate in the state,”

“If this is the view about your business, then I don’t think that business will survive. The massive disconnection of communities because of debt is not only illegal, it is outrageous and an abuse of the people’s right. Disconnecting the whole community is oppressive.”

He also explained that there are people in the community who are consistent in paying their bills and that it is improper to disconnect them.

“Any business that cannot satisfy its consumers is preparing to die. Allowing consumers to pay tariffs without commensurate electricity supply is against the law.”

“The problem of compelling consumers to pay electricity bills is tantamount to oppressing and extorting money illegally from consumers. The internal mechanism for assessing scorecards of electricity companies is not by a collection of tariffs. Rather it is customer satisfaction that matters.”

Relatively, Executive explained that it was exploitative for DisCos to disconnect power supply for days and still give bills covering that same period as well as for consumers to buy transformers, after which DisCos claim ownership of the property.

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