A serious breach of trust and possible embezzlement of private funds may be playing out in Ikeja Disco following its Thursday’s public notice that it can no longer invest in customer metering.
Ikeja Electric, which remains one of the most innovative electricity distribution companies, also said it would not refund payments made by customers for the purchase of meters under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme introduced by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory (NERC) Commission in 2018.
The no refund of peoples monies is coming after it has receipted many applicants seeking to be digitally metered under its undertaking.
Though the Federal Government through the NERC is yet to react to the strange development that tends to suggest fraud, some of the Disco’s customers who bared their minds without correspondent said they are likely to approach a court of competent jurisdiction to get the products for which Ikeja Electric collected their money in trust.
The Ikeja Electric public notice read in parts: “Contrary to media reports that IE will refund cost of MAP prepaid meters, customers are now by law obliged to pay for their prepaid meters in accordance with the Meter Asset Provider Regulation 2018 made pursuant to the Electric Power Sector Reform Act 2005.
“Ikeja Electric by law can no longer invest in customer metering unless with the express approval of its regulator because it is not permitted to recoup returns on such metering investment.”
Before now, the Disco had appointed three MAPs who are currently working with it to provide meters to its customers and for whom the money for the meter are paid by customers’ in the first instance.
However, for stressing that “In order to fast-track meter deployment to its customers, IE has commenced the process of appointing additional MAP companies to aid the speedy deployment of meters for purchase by customers,” the Disco may have decided to hands-off meter delivery and transfer same to the MAPs which runs contrary to the provisions of MAP regulation as released.
The MAP regulations made it clear that whereas customers pay for meters directly to the Discos, the Discos will partner with recognised MAPs to supply and install meters.
Efforts to reach the corporate officials of the Disco failed at press time.
