Electricity Consumers in Lagos have given the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) October deadline to provide prepaid meters or face their wrath.The consumers, who spoke under the aegis of Joint Action Congress (JAC), said the meters must be provided before the new tariff takes effect
The JAC Chairman, Amos Olawoye who disclosed this at a press conference in Lagos, accused IKEDC of defrauding unmetered consumers with outrageous estimated bills.
He said the firm’s officials have also abandoned the reading of functioning meters before billing the consumers.Olawoye explained that the consumers are not against the planned tariff increase, but not before the company has provided meters for every user.
He urged the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to play its regulatory role in ensuring that consumers are not defrauded.
“Give us prepaid meters before October 2017. On no-meter, No-payment we stand. We shall continue the revolutionary action against IKEDC and other DISCOs with due respect for the rule of law and due process, until they stop treating consumers like subhuman beings.
“IKDC has been exploiting, extorting and defrauding electricity users by using outrageous estimated bills. They are giving us outrageous estimated billing because of their desperation to meet revenue target to the detriment of consumers,” he said.
Olawoye urged NERC’s compliance with the 2015 MYTO and concept paper for at least two years, to prevent the DISCOs from subverting the regulatory function of the agency.
The Community Development Committee (CDC) in Mosafejo area also expressed worry that the company has forced them to buy electricity poles, wires and transformers, while failing to maintain its equipment, even though the consumers are paying their bills.
( GUARDIAN )
