Free Pre-Paid meters to be suppllied to Nigerians, orders House

Federal lawmakers in the House of Representatives on Wednesday directed the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission to ensure that Distribution companies in the country supply free prepaid meters to all electricity consumers to avoid over billing and arbitrary charges.
The House took the decision following a motion on matters of urgent public importance titled; “Urgent Need For The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) To Compel Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to Install Prepaid Metering System To All Electricity Consumers”, brought by Hon Abubakar Yunusa (APC, Gombe).
He noted that the issue of prepaid meters has remained a mere lip service by the authority concerned.
He said: “Average electricity consumers are always complaining about high charges as far as the billing system is concerned.”
“NERC has remained adamant and refused to pay attention to the cries of electricity consumers by not addressing the issue.
“DISCOS have been targeting high revenue by charging consumers through a system of estimated billing and it is erroneous,” he said.
Hon Yunusa added that the prepaid meters were procured by some DISCOS who refused to install them as promised sometimes last year for mischief purposes.
He expressed concern that an average electricity consumer has to pay exorbitant cost for the meters, adding that a single phase which cost N23,000 earlier is now N49,000, three-phase which cost N49,000 earlier is now N69,000 respectively.
The lawmaker therefore prayed the House to, in addition to the directive to NERC, also mandate its committee on Power to ensure compliance and report back to the House within four weeks.
The resolutions were passed and adopted following a voice vote after the question was put by Speaker Yakubu Dogara.