01 September 2015, Lagos – The Consumer Protection Council on Monday said it had summoned all electricity distribution companies to defend allegations of outrageous bills levelled against them by electricity consumers.
It said it had been inundated with complaints from the consumers on alleged exploitative electricity billing.
The council said in a statement that through a letter issued by its Director-General, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, it had informed the power firms about the hearing on the complaints fixed for next Monday.
The statement said, “The council, in response to numerous complaints of electricity consumers on estimated billing and non-provision of meters, issued the summon to each of the distribution companies, warning that absence by any of the companies at the hearing would be regarded as a violation of its enabling Act.
“The Federal Government’s apex consumer protection agency, in a letter dated August 26, 2015 and signed by its Director General, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, has fixed Monday, September 7, 2015 for the hearing on these issues.
“The agency, in its letter, stated that it had been inundated with complaints commonly referred to as ‘crazy billing’, by which electricity distribution companies are alleged to arbitrarily determine consumption level of consumers of electricity and bill them accordingly.”
The also said it received complaints from many consumers who claimed to have paid for meters for over 12 months but had yet to be supplied same by their respective Discos.
The statement, quoting from the DG’s letter, said, “Pursuant to these complaints, it has decided to commence investigation to enable your organisation as well as other Discos to make representation and individually state your position regarding the said complaints, particularly as they affect consumers in the area of your coverage.
“You are, therefore, by this letter, summoned to attend, make representation and submit a status report on the aforementioned complaints in your area of coverage, including any other document or evidence to support your position at the hearing.”
– Punch