Electricity consumers in Kano State, have faulted Kano Electricity Distribution Company’s (KEDCO) claim of providing free meters to 40, 000 customers, under its phase zero plan.
A cross section of customers who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the metropolis on Sunday said the claim lacked empirical evidence.
Malam Usman Sabo, a resident of Sharfadi quarters, said the claim was far from the truth.
“The claim is far from the truth, I know actually that they provided meters in some areas, but these are mainly in Government Reserve Areas(GRA) like Nasarawa and Hotoro.
“They also provided meters in areas like Hausawa, Zoo Road and other choice areas including luxury estates.
“They never provided in my area.In fact I visited their office severally, but they kept promising without fulfilling.
“I just got tired and left them,” he said.
Alhaji Tsalha Aminu, a resident of Sheka quarters, corroborated Sabo’s claim.
“After disturbing them for several months, they agreed to provide the meter for me last month, but on one condition; that I have to clear the huge balance of estimated bill of about N40,000 in my account.
“I was really shocked by the demand, where do they expect me to get that kind of money from.
” I am an ordinary civil servant who depends on monthly wages to survive,” Sabo said.
He described the demand as inhuman and outrageous.
“If I have to pay N40,000 before getting the meter, that means am buying it for N40,000.
“This is unfair, this is exploitative and against the Federal Government policy of providing free meters to households in Nigeria.
“I think government has to do something about this,” Aminu said.
He urged the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to investigate the issue and take necessary action.
“The Commission must live up to its responsibilities by intervening in the matter to ensure that the meters are supplied free in line with the government directive,” he said.
Hajiya Ramatu Abdullahi, a resident of Rijiyar Lemo, appealed to the company to stop sending outrageous bills of customers using estimated billing, describing it as exploitative.
“It is a common knowledge that we don’t even have light most of the time, sometimes they only bring it late in the night and take it early in the morning.
“But that is not enough as they keep sending a monthly bill of N10,000 to my house, when we don’t even have power supply.
“This kind of a thing can only happen in Nigeria, I didn’t think this can happen in any other country apart from Nigeria.
“They bring N10,000 monthly bill and collect a minimum of N5,000 and the remaining keeps pilling up, in a short while you end up having accumulated bill of N50,000.
” I think government has to intervene in the matter,” said said.
KEDCO Head of Communications, Mr Ibrahim Shawai, could not be reached for comment as he was said to be away on official assignment.
NAN reports that the company had last week claimed that it metered 40,000 customers in the state under its phase zero plan.(NAN)