Reps Fume Over Poor Power Supply Despite DisCos’ N247.33bn Profit

The House of Representatives has expressed displeasure that the Distribution Companies (Discos) have raked in a whopping sum of N247.33 billion in the first quarter of 2023 but electricity supply declined to 5,852 Gigawatt-Hour (Gwh) within the same period.

According to the House, the profit was against the N232.32 billion generated in fourth quarter of 2022

representing a rise by 20.81 per cent, while supply declined from the 5,956 (Gwh) in the first quarter of 2022.

Consequently, the House urged the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to compel the Discos to discontinue the extortive practice of estimated or arbitrary billing and immediately put in place an effective metering plan which assures consumers of fair billing.

This followed the adoption of a motion moved by Hon. Afuape Moruf from Ogun State at plenary on Tuesday.

Moving the motion, Moruf said the 11 Discos are entities established by the Electric Power Sector Reform Act, 2005, to supply electricity to power consumers with obligations to the respective “Operational Areas”.

He expressed concern that the Discos have demonstrated unfaithfulness toward the social

contract with Nigerians, as enshrined and enhanced by the transitional effect of the Electric Power Reform Act, 2005 to the Electricity Act, 2023.

“Concerned that the Distribution Companies raked in a whopping N247.33 billion in the first quarter of 2023 as against N232.32 billion generated in fourth quarter of 2022, representing a rise by 20.81 per cent compared to N204.74 billion generated first Quarter of 2022 (year-on-year consideration)

“Whereas, electricity supply declined from 5,956 (Gwh) in the first Quarter of 2022 to 5,852 (Gwh) in the first Quarter of 2023 (year-on-year consideration), despite the increase in earnings, “the lawmaker argued.

In another development, the House

asked Global System for Communication (GSM) service providers from reassigning paid Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards.

The decision was as the House adopted by Hon. Boniface Sunday Emerengwa who expressed worry that after the registration of a fresh subscriber of a pre-registered SIM, the details of the earlier subscriber still show when exposed to True Caller App.

He regretted that bank alerts of old subscribers are sent to the new subscriber and vice-versa, thereby exposing customers to huge financial risk; particularly under the growing regime of ‘yahoo boys.’