Electricity consumers in Lokoja, Kogi State capital, have slammed the power distribution company for what they described as ‘Band A Assumption Billing.’

An aged widow told our reporter that her bill for the month of August assumed she was on ‘Band A’ and was billed almost ₦98,000 against her supposed ₦22,000 bill.

“I rushed down to their office and complained bitterly. It took several back and forth and even demand for a thorough investigation of my residence before they changed the bill back to what it should be,” she told our reporter.

Another customer Hamza Sadiq said it was unfathomable that his residence which does not enjoy consistent electricity as those on Band A or 33 KVA supply line could be so insensitively billed.

“It is ridiculous and to me, it shows incompetence and lack of professionalism on their (AEDC) part. I know a few people on that Band A for real, whose billing was not even up to the amount they are billing me,” he said.

“As we speak, I have my letter of complaint ready for submission and I am ready to take it to any level, until they bill me according to the Band I belong and the amount of supply I consume.”

In a swift reaction to the issue, the Secretary of Kogi based electricity pressure group, Light Up Movement, Yabagi Mohammed, said the leadership is on top of the situation and that they have also received several complaints on the matter from consumers.
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He urged electricity customers in the state to be patient as the leadership is in talks with the management of the AEDC in the state, to see to the correction of errors in customer billing.

“Given the current economic climate in the country, it is understandable for customers to get easily agitated over irrationality in billing. We (the leadership of Light Up Movement) are not resting on the matter. We have received their complaints and are already working with the AEDC to ensure the matter is amicably addressed,” he said.

Meanwhile, staff of the AEDC in Kogi State have exonerated themselves and the region for the mix-up, stating that the billing system comes from ‘above’ as they put it.

They said the billing was a new policy put in place by the new management in Abuja.

In April 2024, NERC approved a 245 percent electricity tariff hike to N225 per Kilowatt-hour from N66kwh.