Group charges Nigerians against buying electricity transformers for DisCos
A non-governmental organisation (NGO), under the aegis of Anti-Slavery Coalition (AASLAC) has revealed that the Electricity Distribution Companies of Nigeria (Discos) have been capitalizing on the ignorance of communities to compel them to replace, repair or purchase new transformers for their area with a view to enjoy electricity and has charged electricity consumers against buying transformers for Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos).
The human rights group also urged Nigerians to abide by the regulation of Nigerian Electric Regulatory Commission (NERC) which prohibits community and customers from buying, replacing or repairing transformers for DisCos.
AASLAC, in a statement, said it wondered why people keep going against instructions of NERC by buying transformers for DisCos when all they needed was to complain.
The convener of the group, Comrade Tony Masha, also charged Nigerians to organise themselves and resist the emerging trends where they are being compelled to buy transformers for DisCos.
In the press statement issued in Lagos, the rights group said, it regretted that Nigerians are being subjected to all manner of exploitation by DisCos and they seemed to lack the collective capacity to resist these atrocities.
Masha said “The recent happening in and around Bariga and its environs in Lagos State where residents were ordered to buy new transformer by Ikeja Electric Plc if they desire to consume the epileptic power supply in the area, is an eyesore.
“Customers of Ikeja Electric Plc living at part of Ilaje road, Sanyaolu and Amodu Streets axis in Bariga were compelled recently to pay N40,000 per house to buy transformer. Thus, there is palpable apprehension among Bariga residents that technicians from Gbagada office of Ikeja Electric Plc will start full-scale tampering of transformers in the area in order to create opportunities to extort huge sums of money from residents to buy transformers.
“Although by the regulations of NERC, R2 customers which Bariga residents falls within are mandated to pay N1,892 per month pending when they will be provided with prepaid meters, the Gbagada office of Ikeja Electric Plc, imposed electricity consumers in the area with as much as N20,000, N24,000, and N30,000 estimated bills per month,” the group revealed.