The Federal Government has directed Meter Assets Providers (MAPs) to provide meters to Ministries, Deparments and Agencies (MDAs), to give them access to electricity, The Nation has learnt.
Currently, the monthly debt profiles of these agencies is estimated at over N5billion.
It was gathered that the directive follows the usual bickering over electricity debts between military formations/barracks and the power distribution companies (DisCos), coupled with the fact that the MDAs appear not ready to settle their debts in time.
A source in the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) who craved anonymity said the MDAs debt is a subject of contention between the Federal Government and the DisCos, adding that the directive was given in order to resolve the problem once and for all.
The source said: “The government does not want anything to hinder the metering procees, as contained in the new metering programme introduced on April 2018. That is why the government wants everybody to be metered.
“Sequel to this, NERC has advised the MAPs to stick to the rules and regulations that are guiding the new metering programmes
“One of the rules is that the MAPs must provide meters to both the customers that are indebted to the DisCos and those not indebted. “The aim is to nip in bud the crises that surround metering problems in the country.”
He said the debt profile of the MDAs is now N5billion monthly, as evident by the recent financial audits carried out by the 11 DisCos.
In a related development, the Chief Executive Officer,New Hampshire Capital, Mr Odion Omongoman, said MAPs would not renege on its decision to meter every consumer.
In an interview with The Nation at the weekend, he said arrangements have been put in place to minimise the electricity to the barest minimum level.
“To reduce the mounting debts profile of consumers, we (MAPs) are directed to meter everybody first; thereafter debtors would find a way of paying money owed the power firms. It is our right to meter you, whether you are owning electricity bills or not.,” he said. (The Nation )
