The Nigerian House of Representatives on Wednesday, passed to second reading a bill to make electricity distribution companies, DISCOs, reimburse consumers who incur expenses in the acquisition of power equipment.
The bill titled “A bill for an Act to Amend the Electric Power Sector Reforms Act to Provide for Electricity Distribution Companies to Reimburse any Power Consumer who incurs expenses in the Acquisition and Maintenance of Electricity Apparatus Connected to the National Grid in Nigeria; and for Related Matters (HB. 287)” is being sponsored by Ben Rollands Igbakpa who represents Ethiope Federal Constituency of Delta State.
Giving the synopsis of the bill in a press briefing, Igbakpa said that when passed into law, the bill will protect the unsuspecting electricity consumer from undue exploitation by some unscrupulous DISCOs who with impunity rip the consumers of their resources by the deliberate abdication of their responsibilities while at the same time have free access to incentive or subsidy from government’s Power Consumer Assistance Fund.
He added that it is not the responsibility of electricity consumer or community to buy, replace or repair electricity apparatus such as transformers, poles, cables and related equipment used in the supply of electricity.
He said faulty transformers are supposed to be replaced by the DISCOs within forty-eight hours of the official complaint being made.
