20th January, 2015
Eromosele Ebhomele
Residents of 23b Akintan Street, Dideolu Estate, Ogba, Lagos, western Nigeria have decided to slug it out with the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company,
Ikeja, Lagos over what they described as crazy bills given to them by the company even when they hardly get power supply.
Many more Nigerians have been complaining about such acts from the various electricity distribution companies while they witness very poor power supply.
Through their counsel, Daniel & Sophina, the Ogba residents petitioned the Ikeja Distribution Company protesting especially the December bill distributed by staff of the company to the residents.
In the letter titled: ‘Complaint Of Unreasonable And Oppressive Billings’, the petitioners explained that the building in the address is a block of mini-flats with a meter dedicated to each flat.
“Even though some of the said meters are functioning, your staff would discountenance the readings on the said meters and impose bills that are unreasonable and oppressive.
“As if that was not enough, the bills, that came for the month of December, 2014 for each of the mini flats is N10, 921. 70,” they said with attached copies of the bills to their petition.
“This is not just unreasonable, but wicked, oppressive and killing. If our clients would spend so much monthly only on power which they did not even consume, one can only wonder what they would have left to cater for other needs in their lives.
“It is obvious that the said bills are arbitrarily imposed and do not, in any way, reflect the actual power consumption on the said premises.”
The letter described the residents as young workers and young business people who would leave their houses early in the morning and come back at night.
“Some of them only stay in their said flats only at weekends; others stay or use their flats only on few occasions throughout a whole year due to the nature of their jobs.
“Furthermore most of the said flats were vacant during the yuletide as most of the occupants travelled out of Lagos.
“None of the flats is used for any commercial activity at any time to warrant high power consumption.
“Much as our clients are responsible and law abiding citizens, they would not accept the said exploitative bills. They should not become enslaved and pauperized by your company which should better the lives of the Nigerian people.
“In the circumstance, we demand that you intervene and see to it that the said outrageous bills are reversed and that subsequent bills made reasonable.
“Our clients, on their part would always live up to their just and fair obligation to your company.
“Also, we use this medium to apply for eight units of pre-paid meters for the eight flats occupied by our clients on the said premises.
“Take notice, that we shall explore all legal avenues to get redress for our clients should you fail to do the needful in the circumstance,” the letter read.