How much should be the appropriate electricity bill for a consumer without a metre per month? This is the question many consumers who believe they are being charged, what they called crazy bills are asking.
Consumers who live in mini-, two-bedroom, or three-bedroom apartments were made to pay between N12,000 and N14,000 per month, depending on the areas and policies of the Distribution Companies(DISCOs).Those who live in duplexes pay about N20,000. Early last year, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria(PHCN) imposed N7,000 and N10,000 on occupants of three-bedroom and duplex apartments in Egbeda suburb, Lagos.
These bills include Value Added Tax, meter maintainance charge, even though most consumers do not have meters. Also included is the reconnection fee of between N1,000 and N2,000 charged consumers who were disconnected for not presenting bills.
Sources said PHCN officials are delaying the issuance of pre-paid meters to enable them generate enough revenue for their districts or zones.
A consumer, Mr Adeoye Lawal, a lawyer, said he was paying N13,500 on his three-bedroom apartment in Gowon Estate, Egbeda, Lagos until early this year when he secured a single-phase pre-paid meter.
Adeoye said efforts to get the meter was abortive until January when he threatened to expose some PHCN officials.
‘’From my observations, PHCN officials are hoarding the meters. Though they may not have enough, they are hoarding them to make money. I applied for a meter three years ago. Where did they get the one they gave me after the threat? he asked.
Also, a staff member of the Nigerian Bottling Company in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, Mr Ibrahim Akana, said consumers are burdened by huge electricity bills, adding that consumers who do not have meters pay heavily.
He said getting pre-paid meters was a big problem because PHCN officials demand bribe before they issue them.
‘’Perhaps there would be changes in electricity supply when the distribution companies start operations in the last quarter of the year. Consumers are waiting for improvement in metres and power supply as the privitisation process continues,’’ he said.
A consumer said: “I do not see why I should be made to pay additional N12,000 per month for using a television set, a refrigerator, iron and few bulbs. This is corruption of the highest order. This matter should be investigated to save people from the agony of paying for unconsumed electricity.”
While justifying the huge bill, a senior official of PHCN Abule Odu, Lagos District, who spoke on condition of annoymity, said the inability to determine the consumption level of users made PHCN to review the bills on several occasions.
He said: ‘’It is easier to look at analog meters and know the amount of energy consumed by the users.Those that use pre-paid meters know how much they have consumed because they buy cards and load it. However, consumers without meters are given estimated bill as determined by the PHCN district offices. It is not possible for our officials to be entering the rooms of our consumers to count their electrical appliances. Though some consumers use lesser energy, others use much more. As a result, we rely on human judgement while charging consumers. ‘’Each district office is given a target; this puts them under pressure. To meet the targets, we have to increase the bill and disconnect light randomly to make consumers pay their bills. Nobody is ready to lose his/her job. if you continue to give excuses that you are unable to meet the targets due to one reason or the other, you could be sacked. That is the reason heads of PHCN zonal offices have a strong revenue generation drive,” he added.
According to him, some consumers, especially those living in two-storey and enclosed buildings are happy paying estimated bills.
‘’The reason is because they are using objects that consume electricity heavily, according to our investigations. Such consumers know that they would pay higher when they use pre-paid meters.
If you tell them to apply for meters, they would be reluctant to do so. The only way to make our money is to give a flat rate. Some people have to pay for the sin of others,’’ he added.
The Chief Executive officer, Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), Oladele Amoda, said the zone had implemented Credit Advance Payment for Metering Installation(CAMPI) to enable customers to access electricity.
He said the idea would help in preventing shortage in prepaid meters.
