Don't pay for PHCN meter'

It is illegal for PHCN officials to charge any Nigerian or company doing business in Nigeria, for electricity meters installed in their homes or offices, Emmanuel Ezekwere, the Chairman of the ‘metering committee' of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said.


Mr. Ezekwere, who spoke at a forum organised by his committee at the auditorium of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria in Abuja, stated that "if you ask a customer to pay for a meter, you are double-charging him." The NERC official, who is also the head of engineering services and safety of the commission, explained that the cost of the meter had been embedded in the Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO) formulated by the commission in 2008. The MYTO stipulates the amount to be paid for electricity by various categories of consumers.

However, while responding to questions from a participant, Mr. Ezekwere explained that what electricity consumers paid for when being connected, was the metering or connection fee.

Also speaking at the event, Uzoma Achinanya, the secretary of the committee, stated that "the metering fee' consists of connection wires, other equipment, and labour."

Mr. Achinanya, executive director of market operations of PHCN, said that "MYTO also includes payment of any damages, or replacement of your electricity meter. Nobody should pay for a replacement of any meter. But if you are doing a fresh connection, you pay for your metering."

Still working on service charge

While responding to enquiries on the amount approved by commission as metering fee, Mr. Ezekwere stated that, "The issue of service charge, we are still working on that. As of now, be paying what you are paying." The forum, which was also used to present the "Nigeria metering code" was attended by officials from NERC, the various components of PHCN, independent power producers, electricity consumers in the country.

Imamudeen Talba, the administrator of NERC, explained that "the principal objectives of the metering code are to ensure accurate measurement recording, and data management of electric energy utilisation."

Mr. Talba stated that the 9-man metering committee which was inaugurated on 8 October, 2009 and has two year tenure "is to monitor the effective implementation of the code in order to achieve its objectives."

Kabir Tijani, an electricity consumer, complained that the forum would have been more successful if more Nigerians had been made aware of it. Mr. Tijani explained that he would not have known that meters were not to be paid for if he had not attended.

"I believe the attendance should have been expanded. With additional participation, you would have gained a lot more." Mr. Tijani explained that the committee and NERC should do more to publicise the metering code.

Mr. Ezekwere, the committee secretary, in his response, explained that its work was on-going and that the recommendations from the forum and others to be organised would be included in any revision of the metering code.