Human Rights, Liberty Access, and Peace Defenders Foundation (HURIDE) and the Campaign for Democracy (CD), South East, have called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to revoke the licenses of Power Distribution Companies (DISCOs) across the country.
In a joint statement issued in Enugu and signed by Dede Uzor A. Uzor, the Executive Director of HURIDE and Chairman of CD in the South East, the groups emphasized the urgent need for action, citing the abysmal failure of DISCOs in providing adequate power supply to Nigerians.
They asserted that power distribution should be entrusted to reputable companies with proven track records in the industry, both locally and internationally, who possess the necessary resources to address the challenges effectively.
The rights groups decried the collapse of the national grid, attributing it to pervasive corruption and a lack of credible leadership. They called for the dismissal of the former Minister of Power and urged an investigation into the tenure of the immediate past Minister of Power, Fashola, for alleged inaction during his eight-year term.
Furthermore, they criticized the proposed tariff hike by the Federal Government and DISCOs, highlighting the disconnect between increased tariffs and the persistent lack of adequate power supply to the populace.
Expressing concern over the burden placed on Nigerians to fund power equipment repairs and upgrades, the groups questioned the allocation and utilization of billions of naira to the Power Ministry in previous administrations.
They also raised doubts about promises made by the current administration regarding partnerships with foreign companies to enhance power supply, suggesting that these pledges may have been misleading.
To address the power crisis effectively, the rights groups advocated for the involvement of foreign investors with expertise in power management, urging a halt to community-led efforts to fund power infrastructure repairs.
The statement highlighted issues of meter tampering by DISCO officials, alleging that consumers are unfairly burdened with inflated bills.
Lastly, the groups cautioned against the influence of politicians and businessmen in the operations of DISCOs, urging the Federal Government to prioritize measures to alleviate economic hardships rather than implementing tariff hikes during challenging times.