Lawmakers in Nigeria have risen with one voice
against electricity firms who come up with excessive
bills for their customers
- The House of Representatives accused some power
Distribution Companies (DISCOs) of refusing to
provide meters to their power consumers
- The lawmakers further alleged that most DISCOs give
faulty prepaid meters the do wrong readings at the
end of the month
The House of Representatives on Tuesday, June
12, kicked against excessive bills issued to
electricity consumers in Kano and Kaduna.
Israel Ajibola, the chairman, House ad hoc
Committee on Curbing Excessive Electricity
Charges, informed lawmakers in Kano about the
development. Ajibola said this in an interactive
session organised by Kano/Kaduna Electricity
Distribution Companies (DISCOs).
He said the House had been met with allegations
of excessive billing, and alongside DISCO’s
refusal to provide meter, preferring to give high
bills to customers, Guardian reports.
Ajibola mentioned other complaints bordering on
non-adherence to the connection/ reconnection
laws and installation of tampered pre-paid
meters. He went on to say that the committee
was constituted to do a fact-finding mission
across the six geopolitical zones, in a bid to
verify the authenticity of the claims.
He expressed concern that Kaduna DISCO was
not represented at the forum, adding that the
Head of Media and Publicity, who represented
Kaduna DISCO, lacked the technical knowledge to
respond effectively to questions.
According to him, the committee’s
recommendation would determine the position
on the bill sponsored by the House leader, Femi
Gbajabiamila. The bill is seeking to criminalise
estimated billing system as presently being
operated by the distribution companies.
Power consumers who spoke at the session
demanded the immediate revocation of the
distribution companies in the country and also
kicked against the outrageous billing system,
which the DISCOs are forcing them to bear.
Yunusa Murtala, a stakeholder, spoke on the
unbundling of Power Holden Company of Nigeria
(PHCN) and accused Kano Electricity Company
(KEDCO) of issuing faulty meters to consumers.
Another stakeholder, Abubakar Dangora,
complained of excessive tariff by KEDCO in the
rural communities, especially consumers with
lower-consuming appliances.
Raul Sing, the chief operations officer of KEDCO,
said the company has distributed over 70,000
pre-paid meters to consumers in Kano, Katsina
and Jigawa states, adding that KEDCO has always
operated within the confines of the set rules.
against electricity firms who come up with excessive
bills for their customers
- The House of Representatives accused some power
Distribution Companies (DISCOs) of refusing to
provide meters to their power consumers
- The lawmakers further alleged that most DISCOs give
faulty prepaid meters the do wrong readings at the
end of the month
The House of Representatives on Tuesday, June
12, kicked against excessive bills issued to
electricity consumers in Kano and Kaduna.
Israel Ajibola, the chairman, House ad hoc
Committee on Curbing Excessive Electricity
Charges, informed lawmakers in Kano about the
development. Ajibola said this in an interactive
session organised by Kano/Kaduna Electricity
Distribution Companies (DISCOs).
He said the House had been met with allegations
of excessive billing, and alongside DISCO’s
refusal to provide meter, preferring to give high
bills to customers, Guardian reports.
Ajibola mentioned other complaints bordering on
non-adherence to the connection/ reconnection
laws and installation of tampered pre-paid
meters. He went on to say that the committee
was constituted to do a fact-finding mission
across the six geopolitical zones, in a bid to
verify the authenticity of the claims.
He expressed concern that Kaduna DISCO was
not represented at the forum, adding that the
Head of Media and Publicity, who represented
Kaduna DISCO, lacked the technical knowledge to
respond effectively to questions.
According to him, the committee’s
recommendation would determine the position
on the bill sponsored by the House leader, Femi
Gbajabiamila. The bill is seeking to criminalise
estimated billing system as presently being
operated by the distribution companies.
Power consumers who spoke at the session
demanded the immediate revocation of the
distribution companies in the country and also
kicked against the outrageous billing system,
which the DISCOs are forcing them to bear.
Yunusa Murtala, a stakeholder, spoke on the
unbundling of Power Holden Company of Nigeria
(PHCN) and accused Kano Electricity Company
(KEDCO) of issuing faulty meters to consumers.
Another stakeholder, Abubakar Dangora,
complained of excessive tariff by KEDCO in the
rural communities, especially consumers with
lower-consuming appliances.
Raul Sing, the chief operations officer of KEDCO,
said the company has distributed over 70,000
pre-paid meters to consumers in Kano, Katsina
and Jigawa states, adding that KEDCO has always
operated within the confines of the set rules.
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