Customers of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) in Kpana, a slum settlement in Jabi, Abuja, have decried excessive bills served to them by the distribution company.
Some of those who spoke to City News said despite instruction by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) that the Distribution Companies (DisCos) should stop charging residential customers above an average of N1,800 monthly until they are metered, the company has continued to charge them excessive bills.
A resident, Muhammadu Ibrahim, said “we feel bad at what happened today. The staff of the distribution company brought bills with high charges. I was presented with N11,000 bill. The bill is too high and I refused to pay that is why they disconnected my light.”
Another resident who identified himself as Ghali lamented that “They brought N12,000 bill. I am no more interested in the light. Let them disconnect it. I was made to pay all my outstanding bills and debt so that metre will be installed but up till today, they have not installed it and they still bring excessive bills.”
On their part, shopowners in the area also lamented high charges adding that a fight nearly ensued between some aggrieved youths in the area and the AEDC team.
A shopowner who pleaded anonymity told City News that “I used to pay N11,000 but all of a sudden they brought a bill of N57,000 to me. I told them that I cannot pay such amount when the light is not even stable. They disconnected my light today because I said the bill is excessive.”
Another shopowner who wanted to be identified as Mrs. Joy said, “Individual shopowners buy their cables when they want to connect to the light but whenever the AEDC staff come to disconnect electricity, they will cut the cables and go away with them. This is not fair.”
An AEDC staff who is in charge of the area, Ifeoma Unichi, declined to comment when our reporter called her on phone.
