Yemisi Izuora
The federal government has assured players in the power sector of its readiness to address the liquidity crises in the sector.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 11th Monthly Stakeholders meeting in Lagos recently, the Minister of Works, Power, and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, also said the government is aware of issues around metering, billing, but urged operators to build that trust and confidence such that customers complaints will be addressed.
Fashola noted that the liquidity issue is all too well known and disclosed that government is working with other stakeholders such as development, local and international partners to provide a solution to the problem.
“we are trying to see what we can do together in order to bring the liquidity issues under some control and from there eventually solve it,” he said.
He announced to stakeholders that “our partners in government are also an inspiring understanding of what the challenges are. So it is quick decision making now. Collaboration and decisions will be fair but firm and we expect people would respect the decisions and also processes as they come.
“These are matters the regulator, Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Agency (NERC), will have to deal with, the bulk trader, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) who is in the house, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Petroleum in terms of gas and all the players how they dove tail into one another.
“I think owners of this business must look inside and do what is possible and we have spoken about undercover boss here before. Go round and ask your consumers what they are facing and this will inform your management decision on what to do.”
He, however, challenged distribution companies to up their service delivery, or leave.
Without the customers and the consumers, there is no business and I think that all of us in the public and private sector must understand that. If you don’t have the skin and the patient to serve, leave.”
He said stakeholders must use this year to tell “our staff that without our customers, they don’t have a job, and if you are not in a good mood, don’t pick the telephone.
“As a public appeal, we need to do whatever is possible to do in our various distribution areas to improve the quality of service to continue to train personnel, to recognise that the customer is king and even if we cannot provide or solve the problem, we own it a duty to explain what we are doing, we own it a duty to fish a few staff not all because we some dedicated staff.
“It is a thankless job but it is no good undertaking to serve. I am conscious of the challenges operators in the face my team and I are working as hard as we can to make the environment more responsive to you and as I have said and will repeat that as pioneers you will carry some burden.
“You will have to sacrifice perhaps more than what you have done but I am optimistic that it will get better, I am optimistic that we can win together and we can win for the Nigeria people.
In his welcome address, the Managing Director, Ikeja Electric, Mr. Anthony Youdeiwoe, stated that 2016 was a challenging year for stakeholders, adding “Though, the challenges still remain, but they are better discussed whenever we meet like this. Efforts are also ongoing to address the challenges and proffer solutions.”