Group wants Abuja Electricity Company to supply information on pre-paid metres
Raymond Onyegu
FOR alleged failure to supply pre-paid meters to consumers, the Socio-Economic Rights Initiative (SERI) has requested Abuja Electricity Distribution Company to furnish the organization with the record of people who have applied for pre-paid meters from the commencement of business till the date.
SERI, an organization dedicated to the promotion and protection of Economic, Social and Cultural (ESC) rights of Nigerians disclosed this in a statement dated May 11, 2015 jointly signed by the president of the group, Raymond Onyegu and chairman of Human Rights Agenda Network (HRAN), Chino Obiagwu demanding the electricity firm to supply them with the update record on pre-paid meters supplied during the same referenced period.
The group’s petition was sequel to complaints received from individuals and organizations that several consumers who applied and paid for prepaid meters as far back as two years ago, have not been supplied the meters.
SERI alleged that despite failure to install the prepaid meters, “consumers continue to receive outrageously exorbitant monthly bills which bear no correlation to the quantity of electricity supplied to their apartments and households.
This would not have been the case if prepaid meters had been made available to ensure that consumers pay according to what they consume.”
According to the group, SERI also has it on good authority that this failure to install pre-paid meters by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company is not as a result of the scarcity of meters but rather of your failure to award contracts for their supply to the manufacturing companies and importers licensed to do so by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
“We consider the failure to supply pre-paid meters to consumers and the continuous imposition of exorbitant estimated bills on them an abridgement of their rights.
In view of your legal status under the Act as a private company licensed to perform public duties, to wit, distribute and market electricity with a franchise comprising Abuja, Suleja, Minna, Lokoja and Lafia Districts, we demand under section 1 (1) of the same law (FOI) that you furnish us with the following information within seven days”, they said.
