By Juliet Jacob
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has launched its service charter, in an effort to boost effective service delivery across the country. The commission also inaugurated its in-house SERVICOM committee.
The charter which was launched in Abuja on Tuesday aims to provide service standards that will guide the Commission in discharging its responsibilities to both internal and external stakeholders.
According to the NERC chairman Sanusi Garba, “the NERC service charter has summarised the mutual expectations of the Commission and stakeholders by detailing service levels, rights, obligations and redress mechanisms.
He stated that the mission of the Commission was to promote and ensure investor friendly industry and efficient market structure to meet the need of Nigeria for safe, adequate, reliable and affordable electricity.
For him, “the charter will serve as a quick reference for vital information on the Commission’s existing limitations and also address subtle issues regarding persons with special needs.
“Regulating public utilities will ensure that Nigerians are getting the service they deserve efficiently and effectively. So on our part as the commission, the law clearly provides timeliness within which we must act.
“We commit to efficient service delivery to our clients and stakeholders.”
According to Aisha Mahmud, of the Commission’s consumers’ affairs division, NERC, the service charter reaffirms the commission’s commitment to effective service delivery.
Her words: “This is the first time launching the Commission’s SERVICOM, but we have been working with SERVICOM. The charter spells out our service standards to stakeholders as well as our expectations from players in the industry.
“It will help us to work harder to achieve the mandate of the charter. As a regulator we are expected to be fair to stakeholders. While ensuring rules and regulations.
“In terms of service to licences, we have provided environment to enable them thrive and ensure that the prices charged are fair to consumers.
“The electric power sector reform Act empowers the Commission to produce laws that protect the rights of consumers.
“By launching the charter, we commit to ensure the safety, security, reliability and quality of service on the production and delivery of electricity to consumers.”
In his remarks, the Minister of Power, Mr. Abubakar Aliyu stated that the essence of the charter cannot be over-emphasised as it provides vital information regarding function and services rendered by the commission to the public.
Mr. Aliyu further stressed on effective implementation of the charter, which according to him will improve service delivery as well as yield result-based performance by the commission.
According to him, “I encourage the Commission to be customer focused, citizen centred in carrying out its responsibilities.
“It is important to point out that an effective implementations of this charter will definitely improve service delivery, educate on the rights and obligations of electricity consumers.
“It will also help to address compliant through the redress mechanism put in place improve staff competence and skill, as well as produce result based performance,” the power minister who was represented by a director from the ministry.”
Speaking shortly after she launched the NERC’s Service Charter, the national coordinator of SERVICOM, Mrs Nnenna Akajemeli, said the charter would lead to effective service delivery in the power sector and called on the NERC to be ready for the increase in Nigeria’s requests and complaints.
She disclosed that with the document, her office would hold NERC accountable, and asked the commission to follow the documents to the latter for effective and efficient service delivery in the power sector.
