Expect more suits against Discos over estimated billing by power consumers—lawyer
A Lagos legal and human right activist, Prince Lanre Adebowale has observed that the rising cases of extortionist billing on power consumers, popularly called estimated billing by electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) will continue to raise eyebrows and mass actions from time to time until everybody gets prepaid meters.
In an interview at the Lagos High Court on Tuesday on the recent matter where a number of aggrieved communities in Lagos had instituted a legal action against Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EEKDC), he said “Time has gone when Nigerians pay their electricity bills blindly without asking questions”.
He said “Not only Lagosians are getting wiser by the day in terms of issues concerning power consumption and billings. Several States and communities are no more keeping quiet on any issue of cheating, extortion or over-billings.
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According to him, “There is no law that empowers any Disco to bill consumers arbitrarily without any evidence to show for what you are being billed for. The era of mere estimation has gone. And the worst is that Discos estimation lacks human face and that is why everybody is against it.
“However, because they gain a lot from it which they can never let you know, they can devise any excuse of reason to give on why they are not giving out prepaid meters to Nigerian power consumers.
He argued that for the fact “it has become clear that Discos are clearly colluding with authorities to bleed Nigerian electricity consumers dry, I think the only available option is now court action. And that is why you are hearing of electricity related suits here and there,” Adebowale opined.
Business Hilights recalls that on Monday, Landlords and tenants of Alaba Oro, Mosafejo Amukoko, Abule Kere and Olaniyonu Communities in Lagos, began a N50m suit against the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Eko Electricity Distribution Company PLC over estimated electricity billing.
Raji Yusuf Olatunji, Omololu Sulaiman, Muritala Aloba, Tawakalitu Onisemo, Mogaji Suaibu, Oyelade Kolawole and Solomon filed the suit for themselves and on behalf of the members of Landlords and Tenants of Alaba Oro, Mosafejo Amukoko, Abule Kere and Olaniyonu community at a Federal High Court in Lagos
They initiated the action to express their displeasure over alleged extortion by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC).
In the suit referenced: FHC/L/CS/1192/17, the claimants argued that the failure of the power firm to provide pre-paid meters, to members of their communities and the billing by estimation system adopted by EEDC, their communities were not charged appropriately to determine their consumption and hence the billing is arbitrary.
The complainants further argued that EEDC had continued to bill their communities by estimation system, which is excessive and does not commensurate with electricity supplied and consumed by the consumers.
Just as the aggrieved communities told the court that the EEDC imposes reconnection fee against any consumer who fails to pay within the month of billing and whose electricity supply is disconnected from the main source of electricity supply, they prayed for an order directing EEDC to distribute pre-paid meter to all the members.
Besides, they are seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the 2nd defendant (EEDC) from issuing bills to any consumer in the communities without a prepaid meter.
Added to the prayers is an order directing the NERC to withdraw the provisional licenses issued to EEDC to distribute electricity to the community and provide alternative company in replacement.
The case was adjourned for further hearing and ruling on the prayers.
It would be recalled that similar suit had been filed by a set of traders at Onitsha against the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) where the court bared the Disco from disconnecting the electricity of the complainants pending when the matter is disposed off.
