Coalition for Affordable Electricity (CARE) has slammed the Lagos State Government over planned introduction of solar installation permit in government-estate areas on the state.
Its National Coordinator, Chinedu Bosah, told Daily Trust, that the permit is an agenda to generate revenue.
According to him, the installation of solar system is never a good choice for some Nigerians because it is expensive and could have been avoided if the grid is supplying stable and affordable electricity.
He added:”Hence, it is the failure of government at all levels that has forced some Nigerians to procure solar system. Federal government installed a mini solar grid worth more than N10 billion as a statement of failure that signifies that the National grid will never work.”
He said the Lagos State Government may likely extend this revenue-generating regulation after the pilot program in the government-owned is successfully implemented, through passage of a law that gives it the leeway to implement the policy.
He lamented that over 2 years since the Electricity Act 2023 was promulgated and gave the Lagos State Government and all other state governments the power to generate, transmit and distribute electricity, none of the state has generated 1MW electricity.
He said the failure to generate electricity is an indictment on Lagos State Government and other state governments.
He added:”The Lagos State Government had equally failed regulate the DIISCOs such that recreates the electricity industry complaint resolution mechanism that was put in place by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) through DISCO’s Forums that also served as check on the nefarious activities of the DISCO to some extent.”
He implored the Lagos State Government to stop its revenue generating regulation on solar installers and should preoccupy itself on providing stable and affordable electricity to Nigerians in the state.
He also charged the respective governments to set up complaint and dispute resolution centres so that consumers can seek justice whenever their rights are infringed upon by the electricity distribution companies.
