•Abuja customers wail over frequent rate hikes
From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Electricity customers under the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) franchise areas are not smiling at all. They are groaning under the heavy weight of tariff burden.
The groaning became very pronounced and fierce after the September and October bills were distributed and it was discovered that the unit cost had gone up. The worst hit are customers on estimated billing system who are at the whims and caprices of AEDC.
The DisCo has been accused of wrong and fraudulent estimations to the extent that it was suspected that customers on the estimated billing platform are used to pay for the unrecovered energy theft.
AbujaMetro attempted to sample the opinions of customers and the responses were harsh, full of frustrations and despondency. While some said it is coming at the wrong time (close to Christmas and New Year festivities), others described the increase as heartless and irresponsible.
National President, Association for Public Policy Analysis and Executive Director (APPAED), Consumer Protection Advocacy Centre, Chief Princewill Okorie, told Daily Sun: “Why shouldn’t there be vandalism when the consumers who should protect the equipment are angry because they are forced to pay for what they do not consume? “Consumers are forced to buy materials and equipment and hand over the same equipment to AEDC who now increase their tariff. What an irony of life.”
Mr Abel Mukoro, resident of Presidency Quarters, Phase 1, Karu, Abuja, said: “I do not understand what is meant by Bands A, B, C, D, E. I am totally against the increase and lop-sidedness in payments of electricity tariff.
“The hike will definitely affect the poor consumers, who are suffering and struggling to survive the harsh economic situation being experienced in the country today. It is another avenue to enrich the pockets of some individuals who will put unsuspecting customers on high bills.
“For example, we are on Band A and are supposed to get electricity for a maximum of 20 hours. But the highest we get in some days is about 12 hours. Yet we pay high bill.”
Patience Nana, resides at Jikwoyi Phase 3, Abuja, said: “Consumers are supposed to get 16-hour maximum electricity supply (Band B) but hardly get four hours’ supply. The electricity hike will affect the poor as well as businesses in the area.
“There was an incident when my prepaid meter began to consume high electricity bills. If I loaded N5000, by the next day the whole money would be gone. I had to go to AEDC office to complain and a meter engineer was sent to check the meter and he removed it.”
For instance, in May, the tariff went up from N66 per kilowatt to N206. In June, it catapulted to N209.5 per kilowatt. In July, AEDC announced an upward review of electricity tariff for customers on Band A feeders from N209.5 per kilowatt hour to N225. This, it said, was in accordance with the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO). Also, early in September, the tariff was increased again.
Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in September fined AEDC N1.69 billion for arbitrarily increasing its tariff. Other DisCos fined included, Eko DisCo, N1.41billion; Ikeja DisCo, N1.41billion; Jos DisCo, N1.33 billion; Port Harcourt DisCo, N1.16 billion; Benin DisCo, N804 million; Enugu DisCo, N310 million; Kaduna DisCo, N115 million; Yola DisCo, N54 million; Kano DisCo, N20 million and Ibadan DisCo, N15 million.
NERC Vice Chairman, Musiliu Oseni and its Commissioner for Legal, Licensing and Compliance, Dafe Akpeneye, in a statement said the fine followed “a comprehensive investigation into Abuja Electricity Distribution Company’s (AEDC’s) billing practices. This penalty is a response to the DisCos’ non-compliance with previous directives aimed at capping estimated billing for electricity consumers.
“With the measures, DisCos are required to enhance their service delivery and adhere to service-based tariffs. Also, the companies must publish explanations on their website within 24 hours if they fail to provide a committed level of service on Band A feeders for two consecutive days.
“This initiative will bolster the reliability of electricity supply within their service areas.”
Several attempts made to speak with Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications of AEDC, Mrs Adefisayo Akinsanya, failed. Daily Sun then forwarded this message to her: “Since May, the tariff has been rising uncontrollably. Customers are complaining about the increase. Can you explain the reason for the hike?
This was not also responded to as at press time.