Eskom’s power transmission line: blackout worsens in South Africa

The current poor power supply in Nigeria is getting some electricity consumers pissed especially as they have to pay a tariff that has constantly been increased for the electricity supply that they get once in a while.

Some of these aggrieved citizens of the country protested in Omu-Aran, Kwara, on Thursday lamenting the sudden high increase in electricity tariff effected in the January bills in the area by Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).

The consumers, comprising mostly of tenants, landlords, shop owners and school proprietors, expressed displeasure on the new tariff while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area. The increase, they said was by 70 per cent, and they are not happy since the bills are too exorbitant to settle.

Mostly affected by the increase were those on commercial and business lines with their tariff of N17.26 now raised to N24.86. per unit. Some of the consumers have threatened to opt out of the services of the electricity distribution company and seek for alternative sources of power.

They also pleaded with the company to, as a matter of urgency, disconnect their meters and wires from the national grid without further delay.

One of such residents, Mr. Tolu Adebayo, a tenant in Taiwo area, Omu-Aran, lamented that the sudden tariff increase had resulted in a frosty relationship between tenants and landlords in the area. He said his apartment‘s monthly bill rose from N3,500 to N8,000 in January.

“Everybody was shocked when our house bill for the month of January was jacked up from N3,500 to N8,000 without any prior information to that effect. Some of my explanations to other co-tenants, as the person in charge of IBEDC bill payment, did not go down well with them as they now prefer being disconnected from electricity supply.

“Majority of the tenants argued that they are not prepared for the sudden increase and not in the best financial position to pay the bill,” he said.

Mr. Linus Otubo, another resident and dealer in electronics, said IBEDC in the district should have embarked on an awareness and enlightenment campaign to prepare the minds of consumers adding: “most people in the country today have learnt to spend according to their budget and income, so any planned increase of such should be adequately communicated by the company.

“How do you expect me to cope with an increase from N4,000 to N10,000 in the face of economic hardship in the country. I think it is better for them to come and remove their meters and wires.”

Alhaji Sikiru Ajadi, a landlord in the area, said the increase had placed electricity payment beyond the capacity of an average citizen and urged governments to consider subsidising electricity tariff.

Reacting, Mr. Mikail Bello, the IBEDC District Manager in Omu-Aran, absolved the district from the increase, saying that the directive emanated from IBEDC headquarters.

Bello said that the bills being disputed were the actual readings from the meters, a practice he described as a clear departure from the former constant billings.

“The amount in those bills was the actual readings from the meters as used by the consumers as directed by headquarters.

“The only exception are those on commercial lines who had their tariff slightly adjusted from the old N17.26 to N24.86. The fixed charge still remains as N500 per unit.

“I can only advise electricity consumers to minimise their electricity usage by putting off electric bulbs and other appliances that are not in use to reduce their bills,” he said.