A coalition of 130 civil society and community based groups under the auspices of the Nigerian human rights community, (NHRC) has commended Nigeria’s Minister of power, adebayo adelabu for insisting on the federal government’s policy on free distribution of meters to Nigerian electricity consumers despite growing opposition to the peoples centred policy by electricity distribution companies.
In a statement on tuesday, and signed by two of its officials, fred ojinka, and tunde olaoye, the human rights body noted, that the decision by the minister of power insisting on free meter distribution to citizens remains in the best interest of Nigerians.
The minister who had in the cause of the previous week disclosed that meters recently procured by the federal government were procured under a world bank-funded distribution sector recovery programme restated the drive by government to ensure the meters are installed free for consumers.
The human rights group who further described the minister’s insistence on free meter distribution to electricity consumers as the ‘best new year gift’ said the pronouncement has received the full support of civil society groups, industrilists, including all electricity consumers across the country.
“The decision is in favour of energy consumers. Some of the DISCOS are notorious for incompetence, greed and economic rape of the people” The group declared.
Findings have however shown that amidst government’s insistence on zero fees for accessing meters across the country, electricity distribution companies continue to charge exorbitant fees to access meter by citizens with fees ranging between 250,000 to 350,000 naira leaving citizens frustrated in the process.
