The Enugu state House of Assembly Tuesday urged the Federal Ministry of Power to review the monopoly being enjoyed by Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC).
The House also urged EEDC management to adhere to Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) provision on the rights of consumer in adherence to Part III Section 352 of the metering code.
These were part of prayers contained in a report presented by a special ad-hoc committee on consumer protection on a petition on the decommissioning of old metres by the company.
Presenting the report on Tuesday on the floor of the House, the ad-hoc committee chairman, Hon. Uche Ugwu, said the ad-hoc committee was set up because of several petitions and letters from concerned individuals, customers and labour organisations concerning activities of EEDC, especially as it concerns decommissioning of old pre-paid metres.
Ugwu noted that the ad-hoc committee observed that NERC did not authorise decommissioning of metres by the DISCOs or payment of outstanding bills as a precondition for acquiring meter under the MAP scheme.
While commending the regulatory body for their timely intervention, it urged them to reduce the high tariff charged on electricity customers in South-east, which is assumed to be the highest in the country.
Ugwu also asked EEDC to stop decommissioning of metres without immediate replacement and that no electricity consumer should be denied the opportunity of acquiring metres under the new regulatory framework on account of outstanding estimated bills.
The speaker, Hon. Edward Ubosi, in his remark, thanked the ad-hoc committee headed by the deputy speaker for the comprehensive report as well as his colleagues for their contributions.
