RESIDENTS OF CALABAR RAISE ALARM OVER UNENDING INCREASE IN ELECTRICITY TARIFF
By: Our Reporter
Residents of Calabar have raised alarm over what they referred to as unending increase in electricity tariff which they say was not equal to electricity supply.
It could be recalled that a fortnight ago, there were protests by some residents who frowned against undertaking repairs and maintenance of PHED facilities yet suffered huge electricity bills which they claimed were imposed on them.
One of the residents, Elder Edim Edim who spoke with our reporter said: “We have been paying for darkness. We hardly see light yet we pay huge bills. The most annoying part of it is that whenever the transformer gets bad, we contribute money to fix it yet we still pay outrageous bills.”
Another resident, Effiong Edet queried the method the distribution company uses to allot bills to different households. “I have been wondering how they arrive at the bills they throw at us. What method do they use to determine who should pay what? It is saddening to note that you are billed for what you don’t consume. And this can only happen in Nigeria.”
Another resident, Mrs. Alice Agim lamented her frustration at getting a metre from the electricity company. “I have been there on several occasions to demand for metre in vain. Every time they will tell you to come back that they have exhausted the metres.”
A retired principal, Mrs. E. Ekeng regretted the situation in the power sector of the country. “It is sad that we have degenerated to this level. Do you know that these people write figures on paper and impose on electricity consumers asbill.s.
" If you cannot pay, it counts for you as arrears. There are times they invade your residence and disconnect your line because of huge arrears they forced on you. It does not matter to them if you are making little efforts to pay.”
Last week, our reporter visited the Power Holding Electricity Distribution Company office along Calabar Road, in Calabar and disguised as a customer who was ready to purchase a metre but was told by a lady at the Customer Care Unit, that metres were unavailable at that moment.
