By Adaobi Rhema Oguejiofor
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has unveiled its service charter, which provides details on the rights, obligations, and redress mechanisms furnished by the regulator for power users across the country.
The service charter, which was unveiled on Wednesday in Abuja, also contains service standards that would serve as a guide for the Commission when discharging its responsibilities to both its internal and external stakeholders.
The Chairman of NERC, Engr. Sanusi Garba, stated that the service charter outlined the mutual expectations of the Commission and stakeholders by describing service levels, rights, obligations, and redress mechanisms in detail.
He said that the mission of the Commission was to promote and ensure an investor-friendly industry, as well as provide an efficient market structure to meet the need for safe, adequate, reliable, and affordable electricity for Nigeria and its citizens.
According to him, regulating public utilities is to ensure that Nigerians get the service they deserve efficiently and effectively.
In his own words, “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.’
The Minister of Power, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu, said that the essence of the charter is to provide important information regarding the functions and services rendered by the Commission to the public.
He emphasized on the effective implementation of the charter and also encouraged the Commission to be customer-focused, as well as citizen-centered when it comes to carrying out its responsibilities.
The Minister stated that it is essential to point out that the effective implementation of the service charter will certainly improve service delivery and help educate citizens on the rights and obligations of electricity consumers.