Some residents of Agege area of Lagos State, have decried arbitrary billings by Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC), saying they will no longer tolerate this in their community.
The residents under the aegis of Oko-Oba/Orile Development Union, also urged the electricity distribution company to provide prepaid meters if they still want patronage from them.
The residents during a peaceful protest at Akowonjo Business Unit at Ponle, Egbeda, Lagos, registered their plights with the company where they were addressed by Mr Abayomi Bolorunde, the Business Manager, Akowonjo Business Unit, Ponle, who promised that the company will find a lasting solution to the arbitrary billings.
The residents were led by the Secretary to the community, Comrade Ojo Omotayo and Member, James Joel.
Bearing placards with inscriptions which read, ‘No Prepaid Meter, No Payment’, ‘Say No To Unjustifiable Payment of Net Arrears’, ‘Say No to Unlawful Conduct of Ikeja Electricity Company’, ‘Say No to Illegal Account’, among others, the residents insisted that estimated billings should be stopped henceforth.
However, Mr Abayomi calmed the protesters and promised that henceforth, the meter readings from the transformers would be done transparently in the presence of the community’s representatives.
He said the company was awaiting mass production of prepaid meters from the federal government, “Before now, for about one and half years, the government gave us prepaid meters, and they promised they would provide others, you all read it on the pages of the newspapers.
“We gave out the ones they gave us, ever since then, no meter came.”
In his address, Comrade Omotayo said except the company fulfil its obligations, the community will not allow staffs of the company to carry out disconnection, “for transparency sake, we will like you to include five representatives of our community while reading the transformers.
“We wish to state clearly that until the arbitrary billings are resolved, no staff of IKEDC will be allowed to carry out disconnection,” said the community Secretary.
Responding, Mr Abayomi promised that discrepancies in estimated billings will no longer occur.
