Consumers decry outrageous billings, illegal disconnection by Ikeja Electric

 

Electricity consumers under the Ikeja Electric in Lagos have decried outrageous bills and illegal disconnection of their power supply by the power distribution company.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria in separate interviews in Lagos that the bills brought by IE for the month of May tripled what they used to receive in spite of irregular power supply.

A resident of Ikosi Ketu, Mr. Rafiu Busari, said that residents of the area were given crazy bills that ranged from N11,000 to N25,600 when the supply within the month was not regular.

“How can Ikeja Electric be bringing N25,600 for a two-bedroom flat when the supply is not regular?

“In March, we received N12,000 electricity bill, but now they have brought a bill that doubled the amount for last month. How will I get money to offset the bill?

“I am not baking bread, I don’t have printing machine in my room. Where will I get the money to pay the bill?” he cried.

A resident of Kola in Winfunke Street, Ojokoro in Agbado, Mrs. Josephine Okoro, said Ikeja Electric brought an outrageous bill of N16,450 on May 18, and disconnected power supply two days after.

“The normal procedure is for officials of Distribution Companies to come and disconnect 14 days after receiving a new electricity bill.

“But instead of following this procedure, the staff of Ikeja Electric came two days after we received electricity bills and disconnected us.

“This is injustice; and, to make matters worse, they came on a Saturday to disconnect residents,” she said.

A landlord in Alagbado, Mr. Ayodeji Folorunso, urged Ikeja Electric to give prepaid meters to all its customers to stop outrageous billing and unnecessary disconnection.

When contacted, Mr. Felix Ofulue, spokesman for Ikeja Electric, said the increase in power supply to consumers within its network had resulted to increase in this month’s bill.

“All customers within our network are aware that power supply has increased tremendously.

“Some have supply increased from six to 18 hours daily, while some enjoy power for 16 hours.

“When the supply increases, then customers should know that they have to pay more.

“Our bills from Generation Companies have increased, so our customers too have to pay more,” he said.

On disconnection, Ofulue said that those consumers disconnected owed the company before.

“We are not disconnecting consumers on current bills, some that owed us before are the ones we are disconnecting now.

“It is bad to see customers using electricity without considering that they have to pay for it,” he said.

Credit: NAN