The Metering inquiry committee on Tuesday commenced public hearing on electricity metering and others relative issues in Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 13-man committee was inaugurated by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to find lasting solution to matters affecting metering and other issues across the country.
Mr Sam Amadi, Chairman NERC said in Lagos that the committee is saddled with the responsibility to conduct public inquiry on the way forward to address issues of metering in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
Amadi said that said the essence of the event is to ensure evolving data gathering process that is aimed at conducting a diagnosis of the complex and perennial metering problem in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
He said that in order to ensure transparency and openness throughout the exercise, the commission has ensured active participation of some distinguished members of the society from all part of the country for effective public hearing.
``In the course of our job we are constantly seeking and analyzing data from various sector participants including plants operators, transmission companies, distribution companies, the bulk traders, gas operators and electricity customers to ensure accuracy.
``We must balance the report and interest of all stakeholders before arriving at fair, reasonable and objective decision, regulations, rules, orders and directives for the overall development of the sector wellbeing of all stakeholders,’’ he said.
Amadi said the commission decides to inaugurate the committees in December 2011which is facts finding committee to address numerous complaints on metering and related issues.
He however urged Nigerian to support the committees for the smooth completion of the power sector reform, adding that the commission is concerned in finding lasting solution to the problems of metering in the country.
In a remark, Mr Bamidele Aturu, Chairman, Panel of inquiry on metering in Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) said that the committee is saddled to ensure effective process of the public hearing in all the six-geo-political zones of the country in order to afford consumers and other participants in the electricity sector to states their problems.
Aturu said that by this, it will create enabling environment for both the authority and electricity consumers to address lingering problems associated with metering and electricity consumption in the country.
``Our task is to assist the regulators in its task of providing an efficient and fair template to ensure that consumers are equitably billed by having a sound metering system.
``We are basically a fact-finding committees, we intend scrupulous to stick to that mandate, while we assured that nobody be witch hunted by this committee because the key benefit of this exercise is to strengthen the regulatory process in the electricity sector,’’ he said.
Aturu assured Nigerians that the committees will not hesitates to make recommendations which the finding inexorably support, adding that committee will not work against its conscience.
He however seeks total cooperation of Nigerians, organization human right activists, consumers and participants that will be presenting their position to the committee to be modest and decorous in their languages.
NAN reports that NERC was set up pursuant to section 31 of the Electricity Power Sector Reform Act 2005, which is saddled with obligation in provision of adequate, safe, reliable and affordable electricity to all Nigerians (NAN)
