IS PREPAID METER A RIGHT OR PRIVILEGE

    IS PRE PAID METER A RIGHT OR A PRIVILEGE?

                            

           

                                         Photo credit: vaaju.com

Nigeria is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of natural resources and is populated with over 201 million people, according to the United Nations Population Fund. Despite this numerous natural resources and potentials, there is lack of stable electricity. According to the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Consumer Rights and Obligations, all customers have a right to electricity. Section 2 states “that all customers have a right to electricity supply in a safe and reliable manner”. Section 3 states that “all customers have a right to properly installed and functional meter”. With the series of changes from government control of Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOS) to private ownership, the electricity problem is not planning on fizzling out. What is more troubling is that, these DISCOs fail to provide electricity and still charge for electricity not consumed.

 On the 5^th of June, 2018, the House of Representatives passed a bill sponsored by Femi Gbajabiamila, making Estimated Billing illegal and making it mandatory for houses to own a prepaid meter. This bill is in response to Electricity distribution companies refusing to issue customers with a pre-paid meter. With the unlawful actions of these companies, it is no doubt that estimated billing favours the Electricity Distribution Companies more because it makes it easy to unlawfully charge and increase bills for electricity not consumed.

So many hurtful tales have been told concerning the refusal of the electricity distribution companies to issue pre-paid meter to Nigerians or fraudulent activities in respect of purchased pre-paid meters and refusal of these companies to deliver same months after making payments. Using my office as an example, we have been a big victim of these DISCOs fraudulent activities. In 2013, we requested for a prepaid meter after receiving excessive estimated billings. We later found out that the DISCO officer in charge of the area deliberately increased our bills by 70%. Also, our request for a prepaid meter was not only refused, we were informed that we cannot receive prepaid meter till 2020 without any tangible reason. We went through various legal measures even reporting the matter to the NERC office and attending a forum by NERC who ruled in our favour, yet these DISCOs refused to issue prepaid meter and still increased our estimated bills.

The question they refuse to address is that, is it right, moral or even legal for a service industry to bill consumers for services not rendered or for power not consumed? They keep on shying away from this question.

The bill directs electricity distribution companies to install a prepaid meter within 30 days of receiving the application and payment. This bill gives the right to consumers not to pay any bill without having prepaid meter first installed at their premises. It also prescribes fines from N500,000 to N1,000,000 or a term of Six months imprisonment for DISCOS that refuses to comply.

The crucial question however is, is Prepaid meter a right despite the fact that the bill has not been accentuated into law? It is the right of every house to have a pre-paid meter installed. This is part of our rights as enshrined in Chapter Two, Section 14(b) of the 1999 Constitution which states that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of the government”. Not only getting the meter but the meter should be installed without undue hesitation. Prior to the bill making estimated bills illegal, I believe Nigerians had the right to choose between having prepaid meter and estimated billing.

Now that efforts are being made to passed the bill into law, this right of having prepaid meters will be documented. Thankfully the bill successfully passed the third reading on the 22^nd of January, 2019.

Although before this bill was presented to the Senate and the House of Representative, the Federal Government ordered that prepaid meter be installed to every house. Still yet the Distribution Companies refused to install prepaid meters to any house that requested for it. Nigerians need not wait till the law is passed before they know that it is their right to have a prepaid meter as the Constitution of Nigeria gives fundamental rights to every Nigerian to own and acquire property. There is nowhere in the world that consumers pay for services not rendered. However of the electricity distribution companies do not see the illegality of their refusal to issue prepaid meters, I implore the Federal Government to sign the bill into law. This law is to safeguard the interest of Nigerians.


Have you ever received "Crazy" or estimated billings? Did you have a similar experience getting a prepaid meter? Kindly share in the comments section.

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