CPC orders AEDC to pay family of deceased N10m compensation
(Nigeria) The Consumer Protection Council, CPC, has directed
the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, to pay the family of a boy
that was electrocuted in Abuja a N10 million compensation.
The CPC said that the action was due to the AEDC’s technical
lapses and gross negligence.
In a statement by the Head of Public Relations of CPC, Mr
Abiodun Obimuyiwa, on Sunday in Abuja, said that the directive was issued
following a complaint filed by Mr Tade Ayodele.
Ayodele claimed a live electricity power cable fell from an
elelctric pole at the old Panteker Area of Kabusa, Abuja, on Monday, November
9, 2015, causing the electrocution and subsequent death of his son, Samuel
Ayodele.
Ayodele said his son slipped and fell on the live
electricity cable which led to his electrocution and death on the said date.
According to the statement, AEDC, when confronted,
dissociated itself from the unfortunate incident through a letter dated Dec. 7,
2015.
The statement said that the company claimed that the
electricity distribution network in the community, where the deceased lived,
was a substandard self-help project.
``AEDC or its authorised agents should not be held
responsible for any incident arising from the substandard project. Also, the
illegal substandard installations were merely tolerated to some extent due to
the exigencies of the electricity industry,’’ the AEDC said in the statement.
The statement said that the CPC visited the site, conducted
on-the -spot interviews with residents of the community and sought the
technical opinion of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency, NEMSA.
NEMSA was set up by the Federal Government to carry out
testing and certification of electrical installations, electricity meters,
instruments and commercial services on key critical areas of Nigerian
electricity supply industry, it said.
According to the CPC, the technical opinion of NEMSA
concluded that the accident occurred as a result of weak or bad low tension
network and technical lapses on the part of AEDC, it said.
The statement quoted NEMSA as saying that AEDC allowed such
a substandard installation in their network and did not respond promptly to the
snap conductor after it was reported to it.
CPC, therefore, concluded that the outcome of all its
investigations could not substantiate the disclaimer of the AEDC as contained
in the company’s letter of December 7, 2015, it said.
The Council, in reaching this conclusion, agreed with and
relied on the expert’s opinion of NEMSA, the sector regulator on quality and
electricity materials, the statement said.
CPC said it also found AEDC liable for incorporating ``this
self help project’’ into its billing system, it said.
CPC explained that AEDC collected payment from the community
while failing, refusing and neglecting to disconnect the purported illegal
substandard installations, it said.
The statement said that CPC had, consequently, ordered the
AEDC Plc to ``pay the sum of N10 million to the complainant as compensation for
the death of his son, Samuel Ayodele.
``AEDC has been served with the order, and must comply and
revert to the Council on or before April 30, 2016.
``The order has also been communicated to the Nigerian
Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, who, at all times, was notified of the
various steps taken by CPC,’’ it said.
In the statement, CPC’s Director-General, Mrs Dupe Atoki,
said that the order would deter other businesses that provide services from
being negligent.
She , in the statement, reiterated that in line with extant
regulations and international best practices, Nigerian consumers would continue
to be protected from all manner of consumer abuses.
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