The resort to disconnection of power supply by electric distribution companies due to default in the payment of electricity consumption bill by both metered (under estimated billing) and non-metered customers is constituting a huge challenge to other categories of customers (read pre-paid meter customers) who have been made to bear brunt of this unfortunate policy.
Yours sincerely lives in a community where the electric distribution company has had cause to cut power supply on many occasions due to non-settlement of bills owed by some members of the community who fall under unmetered and metered (estimated billing) categories even though he owns a pre-paid meter. This experience has indeed been very traumatising as it can be likened to a situation where MTN disrupts service because others in its network fail to buy airtime. It can also be likened to a situation where in our culture it is believed that “when a sinner is suffering from the consequences of his sins non-sinners were bound to suffer the same fate” as accomplice after the fact. To me, neither of these situations is justified. I cannot be made to answer for the sin of others even if it concerns my biological parents or child. This is injustice in its purest form. Everyone should answer for their deeds (or misdeeds).
The above represents the agony of Oko-Ope Community in Ijede LCDA in Ikorodu, Lagos State. We have been made to suffer untold hardships at various times by Ikeja Electric officials who indiscriminately disconnect power supply to the community due to defaulting members of the community. The latest experience is as quite dramatic as it is painful coming on the eve of the Yuletide.
The officials of IKEDC came like a “thief in the night” to surreptitiously remove two G&Ps without prior official notice and has put the entire community in total darkness even though other adjoining communities are enjoying power supply almost on 24 hours basis. Those of us using prepaid meters have become pawns in the chess game between power distribution company and their debtors.
It should also noted that there are some other customers who use analogue meters and have faithfully settled their bills but could not enjoy power supply due to the unfortunate actions of IKEDC officials.
The most saddening aspect of this issue is that IKEDC expects other customers to prevail on others to settle their bills (I dey laugh o apologies to Baba Obasanjo). Besides, IKEDC (a private company in business) has made it mandatory for CDA officials to be part of its revenue collection team. In fact, any failure to collect the accrued revenue is visited with sanction of power cut on the community. We are really helpless.
The question is, why is it my headache if another customer refuses to settle their commitments to a business owner? IKEDC is the only business owner I have known in my life that sanctions non defaulting customers along with its debtors.
In view of the foregoing, it is imperative that a proper and workable mechanism should be put to solve the problem of making pre – paid meter owners as well as non – defaulting customers suffer the consequences of indebtedness to electric distribution companies. We cannot continue to rob Peter to Paul. QED
Ade Inasa-Thomas writes from Ijede in Ikorodu, Lagos State.
