An expert on power, Princewill Okorie, has called on the federal government to establish a national monitoring team to check activities of the electricity distribution companies (DisCos).

Mr Okorie, who is also the executive director of the Electricity Consumer Protection Advocacy, said this in Abuja on Tuesday.

According to him, there is a need to put in place a national monitoring team. a distinct organisation comprising people in government, civil societies, consumers, private sector operators and institutions implementing policies in the power sector.

He said, “So that the team can effectively monitor the activities of DisCos and other segments of the sector.”

He said the DisCos are violating constitutional provisions; they are violating constitutional fundamental human rights of citizens in the sector.

”They disconnect you; they don’t give room for a fair hearing in line with section 36 of the Constitution, which stipulates that there should be a fair hearing.

“Why will a DisCo disconnect a consumer and accuse him of bypass with no court hearing, no police, no investigation or prosecution?

“The way these DisCos are operating, if they are not disbanded, they might bring about anarchy because they behave as if they are above the law,” Mr Okorie said.

Mr Okorie also said that the electricity distribution companies use the investments of consumers to make money without refunding them, thus violating the third-party investment regulatory policy.

He said that the DisCos were overbilling consumers, adding that they had refused to obey the capping rule of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), which was the regulator in the industry.

“NERC has also directed that distribution companies should carry out sensitisation programmes for consumers for them to know how their complaints unit functions; they don’t do it, they dwell on lies.

“They are using Band A as an excuse to deny people in other bands electricity, which is a sustainable energy according to the United Nations programme of which Nigeria is a signatory.

“Why will some people be denied electricity on the flimsy excuse that DisCos are not making money? Who audits their accounts since 2013, when they took off?” he said.

According to him, the distribution companies keep saying they are operating at a loss.

Mr Okorie asked if they would have remained in business if they were operating at a loss from 2013 to 2025.

He said, “I am of the opinion that the government should take the issue of the DisCos seriously to enable it to provide a reliable power supply to its citizens.”

Eleven distribution companies were established after privatising the sector.

The DisCos are responsible for network maintenance and safety, maintaining, repairing, and upgrading distribution infrastructure (lines, transformers, and substations) to ensure safe and reliable power delivery, among other duties assigned to them. 

(NAN)