Ololade Adeyanju/
Participants at a workshop in Ogun State on Thursday resolved that Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) in Nigeria should refund and payback in totality the excess amount paid by Consumers emanating from the outrageous estimated billing system and other irregularities.
Rising from the workshop organized by Ota-based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), African Foundation for Environment and Development (AFED), the participants resolved that estimated billing should be criminalized after they reviewed and evaluated a bill sponsored by Hon Femi Gbajabiamila of the House of Representatives.
The workshop held at the Community Hall, Ijamido Townhall, Ota, Ogun State deliberated on the “Electric Power Sector Reform Act (Amendment) Bill 2018” sponsored by Hon Gbajabiamila and the distribution of Prepaid Meters through Meter Asset Providers.
The participants drawn from Lagos and Ogun states represented organizations like Electricity Consumer Mega Forum (ECMF), Committee for Defense of Human Rights (CDHR), Advocacy for Anti-Bribery, Corruption and Crime Prevention Initiative (AABC & CPI), National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), All Electricity Consumers Protection Forum (AECPF), Triumphant Foundation and Community Development Associations (CDAs).
The Executive Director of AFED, Mr Adeshola Afariogun, listed the 13 resolutions at the end of the Technical Session as:
1. That Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) in Nigeria should refund and payback in totality the excess amount paid by Consumers emanating from the outrageous estimated billing system. Customer’s bills should be determined in line with provisions of “the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s Meter Reading, Billing, Cash Collections and Credit Management for Electricity Supplies Regulations, 2007” and in line with the decision of Ibadan Forum of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in the case (Appeal No: IBFO/NERC/120/01/2018) between Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) and Irepodun/Ise Oluwa Community and others in Ota where the Forum ruled that “IBEDC should meter all concerned customers complaining of overbilling, watch their consumption for three months, get their accurate monthly consumption and then factor the balance, if any into their prepaid meters”.
2. That the relevant Government agencies should educate Customers, the Nigeria Police Force and DisCos in order to create a level playing ground and to ensure peace in the business of power distribution.
3. That indiscriminate and illegal disconnection of customers should stop henceforth in line with the provisions of “the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s Connection and Distribution Procedures for Electricity Services 2007” and other extant laws.
4. That all customers who have been metered but have been denied the opportunity to recharge after exhausting the initial 100 units because they decline to offset the accumulated outstanding estimated bills forcefully debited to their meter accounts should be immediately restored. Going forward, such disputes should be settled in accordance with the provisions of “the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s Meter Reading, Billing, Cash Collections and Credit Management for Electricity Supplies
Regulations, 2007”.
5. That the NERC should mandate all DisCos to properly kit all their staffs who are on the field for proper identification.
6. That the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) should look into the menace and incidence of Contract staffing by the DisCos.
7. That the Government should show commitment and issue a statement that the sum of Thirty-seven Thousand Naira (N37, 000.00) required for payment under the Meter Asset Providers (MAPs) arrangement will be integrated and converted into credit for customers.
8. That the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and other sister agencies should desist from conniving with DisCos to arrest and molest Nigerians during their illegal disconnection of customers.
9. That DisCos should stand up and live up to the expectation of customers by providing the power facilities such as transformers, energization materials and meters (Prepaid and Check meters) upon application.
10. That DisCos should not estimate the Transformers anymore but install the Check/Statistical meter to the substation.
11. That all areas/Communities/Associations that come together to buy transformer or incur any capital expenses should never be forced by DisCos to will/donate the equipment to DisCos anymore but rather agree and strike a balance to agree on a way of refund to such purchaser.
12. That under no means should any DisCos compulsorily force customers to sign an oat/undertaken to pay the contested accumulated estimated bills.
13. That all discos should as matter of consumers’ rights stipulated in energy act, published in print and posted on notice boards all energy supplied, amount consumed by customers, amount of energy loss, etc. at their respective business hubs/units.
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