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Lagos Community Decries Estimated Electricity Bills, Threatens Legal Action

Eleven Community Development Associations, CDAs, in Ajasa Command area of Lagos State, have kicked against
estimated bills from Ikeja Electric, describing the bills as not just exorbitant but also harmful.

The CDAs have therefore threatened legal action against the electricity distribution company if the bills are not reduced before the end of this month.

The affected Community Development Associations which fall under the Akowonjo Business District of Ikeja Electric are Oke-Abiye, Ajasa, Agbelekale, Tiwalade, Itesiwaju, Aniya, Fafunwa, Ariwajoye, Ifelagba, pacesetters and God’s chosen, all under Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area.

Speaking on behalf of the protesting CDAs at the Ajasa Town hall, Mr Akinola Adebowale told newsmen that all efforts to get prepaid meters by the over five million unmetered residents in the affected Community on many occasions have proved abortive.

Mr Adebowale stated that the high billings by the electricity distribution company which ranges from twenty four thousand naira to thirty six thousand naira per resident on a monthly basis, had forced many artisans in the area out of business, a situation which he alleged had caused an increase in crime rate in the community.

“As a result of these exorbitant billings, some of us have been unable to pay our children’s school fees, most of the artisans have folded up because they cannot meet the demand of Ikeja Electric and this will ultimately affect the Nigerian economy because we are talking about macro businesses” he said

Mr Adebowale also alleged that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, had failed to enforced the order on the capping of estimated bills in the Nigeria Electricity Supply industry.

The protesting CDAs members carried placards with inscriptions such as “stop giving us crazy and outrageous bills”, “Give us prepaid meters”, “the suffering is too much” among others.

ie Reaction

Reacting to the claim of outrageous billings by the CDA’s in Ajasa Community, the Head of Corporate Communications, Ikeja Electric, Mr Felix Ofulue admitted that metering has been a challenge.

In a telephone interview with Correspondent Yemisi Dada Mr. Ofulue urged customers who wish to buy prepaid meters to visit their undertaken offices to explore the available options, including the Meter Purchase, MAP

Despite government’s attempts to end estimated billings by the DisCos through the National Mass Metering Programme, thousands of households in Lagos State are still unmetered.

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