According to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), it is prohibited to disconnect a customer from their energy supply without a 10-day notice.
On Wednesday, the commission’s Executive Vice Chairman, Mr Babatunde Irukera, made this statement during an electrical consumer complaint platform in Calabar.
Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDappalling )’s service in Calabar and the surrounding area was a source of much lamentation for him.
PHED had not performed properly in providing services to its customers in line with their invoices, he said based on the commission’s examination.
PHEDC services in Cross River State have been called “oppressive” by the people of Irukera.
There were claims of widespread disconnection by the corporation without recourse to the law, he claimed, citing a number of difficulties.
“I want to convey to you the incredible displeasure of the people of Cross River, according to them, especially the governor, if they have their way, they will prefer that PHEDC does not operate in the state.
It doesn’t look good if this is how you see your business.
“The vast disconnection of communities due to debt is not only illegal, but it is also outrageous and a violation of people’s rights. “. A community that is disconnected is oppressive.
“There are people in that town that pay their bills on time, so disconnecting them would be unfair and unjust.”
In order for a business to survive, it must provide customers with the goods and services they expect; permitting customers to pay rates without receiving an adequate electrical supply is illegal.
It’s illegal to extort money illegally from consumers by requiring them to pay their electricity bills,” says a researcher.
Customer satisfaction is the most important factor in determining a company’s scorecard, not the collection of tariffs.
When Discos disconnect power for days and still bill customers for that time, Irukera called the scenario “exploitative.”
He went on to explain that it was against the law for individuals to own transformers and that PHEDC would eventually come to own them.
