Be wary of dubious PHCN officials – NERC

October 19, 2012 by Etim Ekpimah, Uyo 

Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has urged electricity consumers to be wary of the activities of some Power Holding Company of Nigeria officials.
The officials, the NERC said, indulge in dubious business practices like selling transformers, cables and metres to consumers.
The NERC General Manager, Government and Consumers Affairs, Mr. Tony Akah,  stated this in Uyo on Thursday during the NERC Power Consumer Assembly.
Charging consumers to be vigilant, Akah urged them to file proper complaints against such PHCN employees.
He said, “We are aware of such things like customers being forced to buy metres, transformers, electric poles. We are urging you as journalists to help us expose these people.
“Nigerian consumers should be fully alert to the trend. You have phones that have cameras, record these things and bring them to us – be rest assured that as soon as we prove that there is a violation of this, we will consider it as a pure criminal violation, and we as a commission will take it to the highest level and ensure that whoever the culprits are, will be brought to book. We are working on that.
“We ask the consumers to compile and properly file any complaints about PHCN employees asking them to buy transformers, poles, cables and metres. When we look at the individuals consumers’ complaints from our databank, we will be able to make PHCN do what it is supposed to do.”

SOURCE: The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper 19 October 2012.