Electricity consumers in Lagos on Monday frowned at the new directive by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission that Distribution Companies should fix electricity tariff after consulting with consumers.
They told the News Agency of Nigeria in separate interviews that the NERC directive was unreasonable.
NAN reports that NERC had on April 8 directed DISCOs to fix electricity tariffs, in consultation with consumers, subject to ratification by the regulator.
Abdul-Rasak Osho, the Chairman of Iponri Housing Estate Association, said this would put consumers at the mercy of the DISCOs.
Osho said: “This directive will make consumers at the mercy of the electricity companies.
“These people are businessmen and since they have taken over, there has been no improvement at all.
“If they are now giving them power to fix tariffs on their own, they will start to charge consumers heavily.”
Ade-Owas Owabumuwa, the President ofAmuwo-Odofun Landlords Association New Town, said the NERC was delegating its function of regulation to power firms, adding that it would affect the consumers.
Owabumuwa said: “If the power to fix the tariffs is given to the businessmen, they will make life uncomfortable by charging more than what we use.
“We are imploring the NERC to reconsider this decision because it is not in the best interest of the consumers.”
Yusuf Raji, the Secretary of Alaba-Oro Landlord Association, said the new directive would add more burden to the consumers, adding that consumers were currently paying for what they did not use.
NAN
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