Olusola Bello
Before now I was at the forefront of those that defend the electricity distribution companies since their days as National Electric Power Authority NEPA. This is because as a journalist who has reported the sector for a long time, I understand the conditions and circumstances under which the workers were operating.
But my recent experience with Ikeja Electric and Abuja Electric Distribution Company has changed my perception about the privatization exercise and the companies. Their services are damn too poor and there is no human face when interacting with customers even when they are not providing the services.
Some of the officials of the companies are so insensitive to the plight of their customers. No curtsey in their approach to issues.
For weeks now, some consumers of electricity within Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company franchise area have been treated with disdain and levity. This is because there is no regulatory authority that is responsible enough to call the management of the company to order over the way it manages electricity supplies in its franchise area.
For no just cause, Ikeja Disco has denied some of the customers under its jurisdiction legitimate electricity supply. It prefers to satisfy it so- called premium customers while the majority of the public is denied supplies.
Electricity supplies are diverted to places they claimed to have been inhabited by the so called rich and semi rich people who are alleged to be paying above N50 per kilowatts hour, whereas places with significant number of pre-paid meters that pay N42.73 per kilowatt-hour as tariff, which is under band C are not given any supply. The band C group has been completely denied supply for more than three weeks without any explanation as 12 hours supply has now become nil hour. The situation might be worse with those in bands E and D.
Since the beginning of this year, precisely, from around January 5, 2022, electricity supply to a significant portion of consumers in Ikeja Disco franchise area, such as Demurin Road, Ajelogo, Davies Street, part of Doyin Omololu, Irawo Osan Street, Biola Street and Oshogun, all in Alapere, just to mention a few, with several thousands of residential and commercial buildings from which the company could make several millions of Naira were denied effective, and a steady supply of electricity. Yet they complain they are not getting enough revenues.
Initially, Ikeja Electric was bringing supply at every 30minutes at the beginning of this year. This continued for a while until supplies to the areas was completely stopped and the whole areas thrown into utter darkness. There was no explanation from officials of the company to inform consumers whether there was any major fault that was responsible for this.
This situation continues until January 17, 2022, when Mr. Felix Ofulue, the general manager Corporate Affairs of the company was eventually contacted, and he said, there was a problem with the facilities of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) that was why our area was not getting supplies. Most times when there was supply problems that are prolonged, and you get in touch with Ikeja Electric, it always attributes the problem to TCN having issues but TCN would always dismiss the claims. I must however commend Mr.Felix Ofulue as he would always take time to respond to enquires but the other field workers are something else.
Another official of TCN told Business Standards: “We had line tripping at about 6:25 am this morning. At about 08:24hours, Egbin-Ikeja West was restored and Egbin-Aja 330kV line 3 was also restored at 09:39hours while Egbin-Aja 330kV line 4 was restored at 09:43hours. All our major lines were restored and sub stations were subsequently energised. It was lines tripping, TCN has restored”
The implications of the action of ikeja electric are that it rendered hundreds of businesses redundant and not able to function, and those that remain afloat were doing so at a very high cost by buying diesel or petrol to power their generators. Consequently, the cost of their services were jerked up.
Those that are making a living through hawking of cold drinks could not do that anymore, because they could not get ice blocks to cool their drinks and sachet water.
Housewives were worse hit as they have to warm their pots of soup and foods everyday because there is no electricity to power their freezers.
Now, who pays for the losses incurred by the customers?
In the case of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, the services of the company outside Abuja are completely awful as people are also denied supplies for several days. the company would only bring supplies for a few hours when they are ready to collect money.
The service of the company to the entire Kogi West in Kogi State is abysmally poor. The people get supplies three to hours a week when you calculate the number of hours they get electricity supply for a whole week.