NERC, please rescue Yola consumers

When the Nigeria Regulatory Commission (NERC) came on board, a lot of consumers heaved a sense of relief, that consumers can longer be surcharged in terms of the payment of electricity tariff. In fact, the commission has directed that all consumers should be given pre-paid meters for monthly bill to be on the energy consumed. […]

When the Nigeria Regulatory Commission (NERC) came on board, a lot of consumers heaved a sense of relief, that consumers can longer be surcharged in terms of the payment of electricity tariff. In fact, the commission has directed that all consumers should be given pre-paid meters for monthly bill to be on the energy consumed.
The commission has directed that all the distribution companies to comply with the directive. But what the Yola Distribution Company is doing in Yola, is incomprehensible as the company is grossly making the consumers especially those who are being billed are made to pay through their noses because of overbilling.
Despite this glaring over billing by the company, the commission failed to wade into the problem by reprimanding the company to distribute the pre-paid meters to the consumers. The consumers are paying high bills monthly ranging from twelve thousand to ten thousand naira.
This coupled with the recession that has eaten deep inside an average
Nigerian has boxed the people into a tight corner. The people are contemplating doing away with electricity because of the sudden hike of billing on flat rate for those that do not have pre-paid meters.
The way and manner the Yola Electricity Distribution Company is treating the consumers is quite unbelievable and it is not obtained anywhere in Nigeria. It is imperative for the commission to come into the matter of the overbilling being heaped on the common man and woman in Yola by the distribution company in the name of monthly billing, which common sense cannot comprehend.
The Electricity Regulatory Commission can do well for consumers by compelling the disco to give out pre-paid meters and proper billing for those who are on flat rate billing. What is being meted out to consumers in Yola cannot and has never being done anywhere in the country. The people need to have respite from the commission as people are heavily being surcharged by the distribution company in Yola. How can low income earners cough out twelve thousand naira in a month as bill for electricity consumed?
This amount is too much for people especially in the lowest strata in the society to cope with at this period of time that the economy is biting them hard. The government should also be very considerate by not allowing such a company charging the people heavy bill each for consuming energy. It should compel the company to bring the pre-paid meters to be installed in each household.
The distribution company in Yola is doing a great disservice to the people by this unbelievable billing just for a month.

Usman Santuraki, No2 Santuraki Close, Demsawo, Jimeta-Yola            [email protected]  08032333546