By Ayomide Otitoju
The Federal Government is working to establish a national electricity complaints call centre to provide consumers across the country with a direct channel to report service challenges, seek redress and track complaints to resolution.
The Minister of Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, disclosed this during the commissioning of a 3MW hybrid solar power project and Renewable Energy Workshop and Training Centre at Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja.
Tegbe said the initiative was aimed at improving accountability, responsiveness and consumer confidence in the power sector.
“My office is working on a call centre where electricity complaints across the country can be lodged and resolved,” the minister said, adding that the initiative would also create job opportunities for young Nigerians.
He also announced plans for a dedicated reporting channel for vandalism of critical electricity infrastructure, allowing Nigerians to report incidents involving transformers, transmission towers and other power assets for prompt intervention.
According to him, the Federal Government is working with the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to curb the destruction of electricity infrastructure.
Tegbe urged Nigerians, particularly members of the university community, to regard the protection of power infrastructure as a shared responsibility and report incidents of vandalism promptly.
The minister said the newly commissioned hybrid power project, delivered under Phase II of the Federal Government’s Energising Education Programme by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), would support teaching, research, laboratory activities and digital services at the university.
The project’s 388 solar-powered streetlights are also expected to improve visibility and security across the campus.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of the REA, Abba Aliyu, said the establishment of the Renewable Asset Management Company would help ensure that renewable energy assets are properly managed, maintained and protected after commissioning.
The proposed complaints centre and vandalism reporting channel are part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to make the power sector more responsive and accountable while strengthening public participation in protecting critical infrastructure.
