Improve on your services rather than complain, Fashola tells DISCOs

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has called on Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to stop grumbling and blaming infrastructure for their failures to render effective service.

He therefore mandated them to do more to improve their service because they were fully aware of the nature of assets available before they bought them.

The minister gave this order at the 15th edition of the monthly power sector operators meeting in Jos, Plateau State.

“You must do more to improve service, rather than complain about old infrastructure. I wish to remind you that nobody forced you to buy those assets and you knew what you were buying.

“The N701.9 billion intervention fund is consistent with government’s policy and determination to enable businesses flourish, and it was intended to save the Gencos, the gas companies and their financiers who were providing service, from collapse,” he said.

Further condemning DISCOs’ media campaign against the government’s support to ensure a vibrant power sector Fashola said, “Your statement did not tell members of the public that these companies were not getting paid because you were not remitting all you should remit to NBET and the market operator, admittedly because of reasons that are partly and not partly your fault.

“When I convened the first of these monthly meetings, it was entirely voluntary and nobody was under compulsion to attend. As I have done at almost every previous meeting, I will now ask you all again to vote whether we should continue the meeting.

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“If the outcome of the vote is to discontinue the meetings, this will be my valedictory statement to the meeting. Also, if the outcome of the vote is to continue the meetings, then I will demand that this meeting must remain the platform for ventilating and resolving issues relating to the sector without prejudice to other meetings that the regulator may convene.

“I regret that I will not deal with an association because the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, acting for the National Council on Privatization, NCP, did not contract the asset sales and performance agreements with an association and neither did Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission grant you licenses as an association.

“Government will continue to relate with you as such, through meetings such as this, or individually to ensure that you discharge your duties to consumers. I am certain that NBET (the Bulk Trader) and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), your regulator, will communicate a similar position to you.”

 

 

 

 

 

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