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FCCPC in Ibadan to address electricity consumers’ complaints

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), with support from the MacArthur Foundation, is currently in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to address complaints from electricity consumers under the purview of Ibadan Electricity Company (IBEDC).

Tagged, ‘Electricity Consumer Complaint Resolution Platform,’ the platform, according to the Head, Public Relations, FCCPC, Ondaje Ijagwu, is a one-stop shop for addressing electricity consumers billing, metering, transformer, connection, disconnection, customer service and other issues in IBEDC coverage areas from October 11 to 14.

Speaking with journalists during the opening ceremony of the programme, Executive Vice Chairman, FCCPC, Babatunde Irukera, said the exercise is being carried out periodically around the country during which key stakeholders, such as the sector regulators, service providers and consumers will be brought together on the same table to discuss.

He further said, “One of the biggest complaints electricity consumers always have is how they are being treated by the electricity distribution companies. So we create this platform where we bring our team of complaint resolution specialists and make sure that the service provider also brings its customer service operatives. We sit for a few days and resolve as many complaints as we can. We will engage the stakeholders, identify where problems are and work out solutions to them.”

Asked whether there will be sanctions if the electricity distribution company is found to have violated the rules and regulations as stipulated by law, Irukera noted that “Some of the complaints that will come out of here may lead to sanction.

“The sanctions do not happen on this desk here; those are things that are taken to appropriate quarters for additional analysis and regulatory process. The real focus of the platform is for electricity consumers to bring problems for possible solutions.”

Some of the electricity consumers who were present at the event while speaking with journalists expressed optimism that all issues they have brought forward will be resolved and in due time.

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