The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has fined Benin and Port Harcourt electricity distribution companies (DisCos), N6.220 million over their failure to comply with the decisions of Forum Offices rulings in complaints filed by their customers.
The Commission in Directive 153 imposed a N5, 010, 000. 00 sanction on Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) for not complying with the decision of the Forum in complaints filed by Messrs Ikponmwosa Ogiesoba Barry; S. C. Ogoke; and F. E. Ubuane.
The Commission in a statement yesterday, said the Forum Office is made up of five members of the public and handles complaints that are unresolved at the customer complaint unit of DisCos.
Both Barry and Ubuane had filed complaints before the Benin Forum Office alleging fraudulent estimation of their electricity bills to which the Forum Office ruled in their favour, while Ogoke in his complaint contested the amount of fixed charge he was to pay the utility company.
However, Benin DisCos ignored the directives of the Forum Office in those instances and the matter was subsequently referred to the Commission which issued Directives 153 upon completion of enforcement proceedings.
According to Directive 153, “The Commission hereby fines BEDC N10,000 per day from April 14, 2016 to September 28, 2016 making a total N1, 670, 000 only” in each of the three instances bringing the fines to a grand total of N5, 010, 000 only.
The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) in Directive 155 was sanctioned over its failure to comply with the Port Harcourt Forum Office decision in a complaint filed by one Toba Aremu Olugbemi.
