Unresolved staffing issues remain a major issue impeding the operations of recently privatized electricity generation (GENCOs) and distribution companies (DISCOs).
This was brought to light during the second general meeting of industry operators convened by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission – NERC, held in Abuja on Wednesday 11th December, 2013.
Legacy staff of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria are yet to know their fate with the new owners as they are yet to be served severance letters, officially terminating their contracts with the company. As a consequence, these workers who have not yet been legitimately been engaged by the new owners have been forced to linger on in this uncertainty.
The Chairman/CEO NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, during the meeting, assured operators that the Commission will meet with the Bureau of Public Enterprises to provide necessary interventions for speedy resolution of the legacy staffing issues, among others.
Other issues raised at the meeting include load allocation to various electricity distribution companies, non-remittance of collections to the Market Operator, gas constraints, inadequate communication between the Transmission Company of Nigeria – TCN and DISCOs. Other issues that were dealt with include customer metering, Interim Rules, security of electricity workers.
Operators were also directed to resume the CAPMI Scheme. CAPMI, an acronym for Credited Advance Payment for Metering Implementation is an Order of NERC and a framework for closing the metering gap in the industry.
On the issue of remittances, Amadi said that defaulters will suffer sanctions for noncompliance. It can be recalled that NERC gave an ultimatum to erring DISCOS who were yet to remit their collections to the Market Operator.
