By Adepegba Abiola
The residents of ValleyView Estate, Aboru, Ipaja area of Lagos State have denounce high estimated bills issued to them by Ikeja Electric (IE).
Speaking on Wednesday, Mr. Oladele Kayode-Ojo, immediate past chairman, ValleyView Estate Community Development Association, said that IE often issue outrageous bills to consumers within the community without commensurate increase in electricity supply.
He said complaint was made on faulty meter in the transformer to IE Aboru undertaking but no repairs was carried out which resulted to periodic high estimated bills given to the community.
“Someone got a bill of N6,000 in June and N13, 000 in July, 2019. Please, what is the rationale behind the crazy bill?”, Kayode-Ojo asked.
A resident of the estate, who gave his name as Shittu Rasheed said his electricity bill increased from N7,000 in June to N13, 700 in July, 2019 in a single bedroom apartment. He said he had written to IE to carry out load assessment on his apartment to no avail.
“I had written to IE in July, 2019 to carry out load assessment on my apartment but they did not respond. Then in July, 2019, they sent an estimated bill of N13, 700 without no increase in electricity supply.”
“I am surprised with the marketers assumption in consumption rate/tariff of having the same consumption with someone using a duplex with lots of load and a room/parlour self. That was why I wrote to them in July to carry out load assessment on my apartment but they ignored.”
Another resident named Jude said the estate was being exploited by IE because of Federal Government Meter Mapping Scheme has been activated in some areas within the state.
He alleged that “IE wants to make exorbitant money in a short time before the installation of prepaid meter to the area. That is the reason why they are billing us outrageously.”
Responding, the IE, Aboru Undertaking Manager, Mr. Emmanuel Chiwueze, said the community should lodge their complaints at his office and if investigation shows the community is over billed, then further adjustment would be made in subsequent bill, otherwise nothing will be done.
He said: “Make your complaints at our office. So far, records show that there is increase in energy supply to your area which gave rise to high bill in electricity consumption but if after our investigation we realised you are over-billed, we will make necessary adjustment”.
