Civil rights group, Initiative For Social Rights Concerns And Advancement, ISRCA, on Wednesday, asked the Nigerian government to establish a monitoring team to oversee the distribution of free prepaid meters to Nigerians as well as prevent corrupt practices in the process.
ISRCA National Coordinator, Derrick Agberen made the call in a statement in Warri.
The group said, the federal government needs to demonstrate it’s commitment by instructing the Ministry of Power to distribute the meters.
“To demonstrate its commitment, the federal government should instruct the Ministry of Power to distribute the meters.
“Furthermore, establishing a communication channel for real-time monitoring and feedback would facilitate effective implementation and customer engagement.
“This approach would yield benefits for consumers, who continue to incur costs for rectifying electrical faults, replacing armored cable wires, and transformers, notwithstanding the irregular electricity supply.”
The group said the implementation of free prepaid meters in Nigeria is questionable given the current privatized electricity distribution setup controlled by Nigerian monopolies.
“Would these entities permit such initiatives to materialize? This seems implausible based on ground realities, which starkly contrast official statements.
“Even distribution sector insiders suggest a lack of sincerity from the federal government.
“Therefore, enforcing this policy rather than just announcing it might be more effective, considering the prevalent extortion in the sector.
“Despite previous instances of similar directives being issued to the public, the situation remains unchanged.
“The Nigeria Senate, as the upper chamber, has indeed reiterated this stance, yet implementation poses significant challenges within the country.
“While prepaid meters are available for purchase in certain regions at ₦145,000 with an additional ₦10,000 installation fee, others offer them at ₦240,000 with a ₦30,000 installation cost.
“Allegations of extortion have emerged surrounding the free distribution of prepaid meters over the years, with claims that high-ranking federal government officials outside of DiSco may be involved,” Agberem said.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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