Customer satisfaction: Government officials train to address consumer complaints

Officials of PESCO, SNGPL and PCC took part in the training.

PESHAWAR: In a first, a training session was held on Tuesday to help government officials from the Provincial Consumer Council (PCC), Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) redress consumer grievances.

The session was organised by an NGO, The Network for Consumer Protection (NCP), and focused on the redress mechanism for PCC and the energy sector.

“Thousands of people suffer during gas and electricity load shedding,” said NCP Executive Coordinator Nadeem Iqbal. “But until people complain, there would not be any redress, which is why these organisations must proactively respond to consumer complaints.”

The civil society must also play a role in building trust between consumers and these bodies, Iqbal added.

PCC is yet to become fully functional, which is why it has no tangible results to show thus far. It conducts its business under the Consumer Protection Rules 2007 and its purpose is to determine, promote and protect consumer rights. The PCC has also remained inactive due to lack of awareness among consumers, because of which the PCC has had no complaints to address up till now.

Iqbal told participants of the training session that consumer representation at open hearings to determine tariff price is negligible despite laws enacted by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) and the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) for effective consumer contribution.

NCP Project Coordinator Amna Bano said litigation in the consumer court is only resorted to after all such forums have been exhausted. The NCP also hopes the PCC will conduct regular meetings as mentioned in the Consumer Protection Rules, she added.

PCC Secretary Akhunzada Anwar Saeed, director of industries and commerce Mujahid Khan and Pesco’s director for complaints Akhtar Hayat among other government officials attended the session.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 13^th, 2013.