Abakaliki – Electricity consumers in Abakaliki have appealed for pre-paid meters to reduce the outrageous estimated bills and poor power supply in the area.
Responding to an opinion poll by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki, the consumers said that the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) was not living up to its expectations.
A resident, Mr Alex Otuu, expressed dissatisfaction with the outrageous bills issued by the company without considering the number of units consumed and the poor power supply in the city.
“The EEDC give their customers estimated bills, one thousand and one people in Ebonyi are given estimated bills.
“I have complained about bad meter and the estimated bills but none of was attended to and I had to stop paying because it is very annoying,” he noted.
“Pre-paid meter is the best and people are in a hurry to switch over and overcome the billing,” Otuu said.
On his part, Mr Eteng Bassy, said that the new billing system only offered outrageous bills, which came regularly without considering the units consumed by individuals.
“I suggest the installation of pre-paid meters to reduce the constant estimated billings of electricity consumers in Ebonyi.
“The case is worse in Ebonyi because most people complain bitterly about this issue when compared to other states,” Bassy noted.
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Miss Chima Egbo, who runs a cyber café, also expressed dissatisfaction with unstable power supply and charges even when there was no stable power.
“Some homes and commercial users lament over this outrageous bills given by EEDC. Relevant authorities should address this and provide pre-paid meters,” Egbo said.
Reacting, Mr Lazarus Onyearugbulem, the Communications Manager at EEDC, said the company would distribute smart meters to its consumers by 2016.
Onyearugbulem also said the complaints by the consumers about estimated bills were due to their consumption.
“Some consumers use electric cooker which can consume more current than pressing iron, refrigerators, blenders and other electrical appliances.
“We buy this energy so if one consumes more, we will charge you appropriately,” he noted. (NAN)
