Electricity users give IBEDC August ending deadline to provide prepaid meters

A consumer group, Electricity Consumers Mega Forum, has given August ending deadline to Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to either provide prepaid meters to electricity consumers or forfeit payment of bills.

The deadline was handed out by the coordinator of the forum, Pastor Jaiyesinmi during a mass rally organised by the group to protest against outrageous billing by the distribution company. The rally kicked off at Lafenwa and protesters marched through the streets of its environs in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Council of Ogun State on Wednesday.

The rally, which started at 9:30a.m. from Ansar-Ud-Deen Primary School, Lafenwa, shook the community and its environs to its foundation as artisans, okada operators, traders, youths and community leaders marched on the streets to register their displeasure over the unwholesome practices of IBEDC workers.

Addressing the rally, Jaiyesinmi said the forum embarked on the rally because all entreaties made to ensure equity in the billing of consumers had failed as IBEDC would rather give out estimated bills instead of giving out prepaid meters as directed by the Federal Government.

“If by August ending, they cannot provide us prepaid metres, which is the only equitable billing method, they should disconnect us or switch off electricity supply from the source. IBEDC did not invest in infrastructure; the ones on ground are owned by the various communities. We have engaged them in different forums but they insisted on giving out estimated bills whose method of compilation is fraught with fraud; it is not acceptable to us. It is either they give us prepaid metres or they should forget giving out the crazy bills.”