On Kedco’s silent tariffs hike
I was not aware of any public announcements by the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (Kedco) in the past few weeks to the effect that electricity tariffs would be increased for consumers in its area of operation. So I was utterly shocked when I recently went to buy credit for my prepaid digital metre only to […]
I was not aware of any public announcements by the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (Kedco) in the past few weeks to the effect that electricity tariffs would be increased for consumers in its area of operation. So I was utterly shocked when I recently went to buy credit for my prepaid digital metre only to realize after payment that the units I used to get for the amount I paid monthly had decreased considerably.
The prepaid metre I use in my house is graded R2(B), for which I often bought units worth N3,000 at the rate of N26.41 per unit and got 108.18 units (KWH) monthly. However, for the month of February this year the tariff cost was arbitrarily hiked to N29.61 for which only 96.49 units was given to me.
My worry here is what I consider as unwarranted silent increase in tariff without corresponding improvement in power supply to us consumers. Moreover, one would have thought that under the prevailing precarious economic condition in the country Kedco would be magnanimous enough not to worsen the lives of its customers through unsavoury extortion for service that is not worth what is paid for it.
To be fair to Kedco, however, there was noticeable improvement in its services in recent days (may be for the strategic reason of the increase) as light is supplied but only for four to five hours during the day which, if past experiences are anything to go by, could hardly be sustained for more than a month. In fact, at about 6-7 pm on daily basis the light is often taken off and is never brought back during the usual relaxation hours between 7 pm and 12 midnight.
To say the least, this is unsatisfactory to the consumer. What household owners want from Kedco is not having to pay for the supply of electricity monthly and at the same time finding it necessary to purchase fuel in order to put on their generators at night.
Actually, because of the general dissatisfaction with the performance of the Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOS) in the country, Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki recently said he was dismayed that the DISCOS were sold to companies and individuals that were not economically viable enough to be able to sustain the level of production they met on ground and invest heavily in order to improve on it. One wonders what the Senate intends to do about that.
At any rate, the much-needed improvement in electricity supply throughout the country will certainly be one of the the yardsticks by which the performance of President Muhammadu Buhari will be measured by the Nigerian electorate. In view of this therefore it has become imperative for the government to find a lasting solution to the problem of the DISCOS.
In point of fact, even if the government has to bail them out with billions of Naira as it did with the banks, and recently even with Aric Air – a private company – I would say so be it. This is because the success of the 11 electricity distribution companies will by and large ultimately translate into the success of the federal government.
Shu’aibu Maigari, Kano