The above recent headline in the press is most interesting. It immediately elicits a question from me, which is, “Really?”
The report quoted Sam Amadi, the director general of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), as saying that “consumers must be organised and should challenge the operators in the sector”. How? I ask. Does NERC regulate (its primary job) by abdication?
NERC must stay away from engineering and procurement matters (e.g., metres, and other goldmines) and stick to regulation. There is enough work in regulation to keep all its commissioners busy for a lifetime!
When articulate folks like me have a hell of a time getting justice from NEPA or PHCN (by whatever new name called), I begin to wonder how Mr & Mrs J. Q. Public-Ordinary Man will navigate the veritable minefield of dealing with a DISCO run wild.
The report continues with the notion that “consumers needed to be more engaged and eloquent in the deliberation about the future of electricity in the country.
“There is a strong case to incorporate the consumers as part of the decision makers in the electricity market. This is the reason we are proposing the setup of the NECAN.”
This is pure PR bull***t. From my own reading, the government controllers of the power sector are most probably very resentful of outsiders presuming to be more knowledgeable in the issues involved. The very absence of any response and engagement with the many who stick out their necks to call a spade a spade says it all. Because of this retrogressive attitude, very many others that I know, who have a government approval in the works and/or an invoice awaiting payment, endeavour to keep their nose out of trouble, seeing no evil and hearing none. In truth, others like my humble self have absolutely nothing personal at stake. That is why we appear so brave. We have no distractions.
I agree with Amadi regarding the need for robust and articulate consumer advocacy as regards the power sector. However, the government or NERC should not constitute the arrowhead. Otherwise the issue of conflict of interest would sooner or later overwhelm the endeavour. Running with the hare while chasing with the hound has never been a good combination. Amadi and his team should broach the idea and then step aside. They currently have enough on their plate as it is.
In case Amadi and his other commissioners at NERC feel under-whelmed by their mandate, I wish to remind them of my earlier call for the establishment of the Nigerian Electrical Power Research Institute (NEPRI), modelled after EPRI of Palo Alto, CA, in the USA. Spending their time on that would be worth their while. I must emphasise that at no stage did I imply that I should be directly involved or to lead it for that matter. Let’s just do it!
Sam Amadi was also quoted to have regarded the regular and sustained commentary of many of us as fragmented, adversarial and episodic. This is most patronising, to say the least. Sadly, years at NERC do not in any way qualify a good many of the operatives there to engage the experienced “outsiders” in debating the many multi-disciplinary issues germane to a viable electrical power industry. I stand to be corrected.
Finally, I have one request to make. NERC should make available to the public the proven template (nice new word in our lexicon) for dealing with the DISCOs. That will be a good start.
Oduche Azih
