The National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance electricity awareness across Nigeria, especially at the grassroots level.
The Chairman/CEO of NERC, Sanusi Garba and Director, NOA, Garba Abari signed the agreement in Abuja, the Nigeria’s Capital.
The agreement also intend to bridge the existing trust deficit in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
According to NERC Chairman/CEO, the synergy between the two organisations was apt considering the awareness gap, and the growing population of over two hundred people in the country.
“We have a very large country with a population of over 200 million people and 774 local governments. We are just one Commission, so if we must achieve our mandate, we have to synergise. In doing this synergy, we havevto identify the right partners to work with, and there is no better partner to work with in the field of national communications and orientation than the NOA,” Garba said.
” Our sector, the NESI requires a lot of sensitization and we are meeting with you (NOA) because we know that we cannot do this on our own. .
“The essence of this partnership is to create a vehicle or platform where Nigerians are educated on issues about the sector; issues of safety, issues electricity theft and others We look forward to a fulfilling and rewarding partnership with the NOA, and we hope to collectively work to achieve our mandate,” Garba reemphasized.
In his remarks, the DG of NOA, Garba Abari said, the issue of electricity continues to dominate the nation’s national discourse, in spite of all the efforts that government has put into addressing the gap.
He blamed on ignorance arising from the technicalities of the sector, pledging that efforts would be intensified, using the available communications tools to bridge the knowledge gap.
The NOA Boss who promised to bridge the trust deficit in the power sector. has the mandate to publicise government policies, programmes and activities.
Also in her remarks, NERC’s Commissioner, Consumer Affairs, Aisha Mahmud said despite the huge effort, Nigerians are yet to understand the workings of NERC, therefore, the need for collaboration for more awareness creation.
Meanwhile, the signing ceremony was done a day after the Electricity Act was signed.
This is an Act that seeks to amend Electric Power Sector Reform Act and it portends great opportunities on investment in the sector and greater opportunities for consumer protection of Nigerian customers.
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