THE Presidential Action Committee
on Power (PACP), chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan, has endorsed an
alternative funding mechanism for pre-paid meters in the country and has
directed the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to commence immediate
implementation.
The recomposed PACP, which was established in June 2010, provides
leadership and guidance for the rapid development of Nigeria’s power sector and
determines the general policy direction and strategic focus of reforms in the
sector.
The new policy, known as Credit Advance Payment for Meter
Installation (CAPMI), is expected to immediately facilitate the deployment of
meters to electricity consumers and check ‘crazy bills’ following the failure
of the ‘free meters’ scheme announced in June last year by the NERC.
NERC had in June 2012 announced that customers were no longer
required to pay for electricity meters because the new tariff, at the time, had
incorporated the cost of the meter in the fixed charge component of the bill.
NERC said, however, in Abuja Sunday that CAPMI, which was approved
by the PACP at the weekend, was designed as an alternative for customers who
are willing to advance money to their distribution companies for speedy
installation of pre-payment meters.
The Commission said: “This scheme is optional and will not be
imposed on customers. Only those who are willing to advance money for meters
may partake in the scheme. The distribution companies are to implement this
scheme until the core investors take over, expectedly by the third quarter of
2013.”
There is, however, confusion over the fate of consumers who are
unable to advance money to procure meters, as the Commission has been
consistently silent on this. There were also no words yet on how much consumers
would be required to ‘advance’ for the meters, and how much fixed charge
holiday they would enjoy and for how long.
Assistant General Manager (Media) at NERC, Maryam Yaya Abubakar,
said the approval followed a presentation made by the Chairman of the
Commission, Dr. Sam Amadi, to a meeting of the PACP.
Abubakar said: “The PACP has agreed with the recommendations made
by NERC, and has asked for the immediate implementation of this scheme known as
‘Credit Advance Payment for Meter Installation (CAPMI).
“One of the top priorities of the Commission is ensuring that the
huge number of unmetered customers is reduced as rapidly as possible, and
within the shortest possible time. By doing so, the menace of ‘crazy billing’
and other commercial losses will be greatly curtailed.”
Abubakar admitted that the June 2012 proclamation did not work out
as expected nine months after the announcement while an unacceptable number of
Nigerians still remain without meters.
Source: Guardian
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