Coalition Group Protest Outrageous Billing System By Jos Electricity Distribution Company In Plateau
Yakubu Busari
A non-governmental organization under the aegis of Coalition of Plateau residents for peace and Development, Chairman Barr Sam Tokz protested outrageous, indiscriminate and estimated billing system in tariff of electricity with fake calibrated meters
The Chairman said, customers under JOS distribution are estimated billing methodology and are charged above their consumption rates despite poor power supply.
He accused JEDC Plc for replacement of old calibrated meters with new un-calibrated meters without proper sensitization/enlightenment of the customers.
Tokz berated the company for retrieval’s of the old meters which were bought by the customers without refund is corruption and illegal.
He demanded for equal tariff with other states for example, Distribution Companies in Lagos, Abuja and Kaduna state charge N15, N18, N19 per unit tariff for residential customers.
Tokz lamented that the JEDC Plc in Plateau state charged 29.93kb which customers’ complaint of unprofessional conduct of some of the staff of the company.
The faulted the JOS Distribution PLC Company over un-calibrated, sub- standard meters indiscriminate charges following a public outcry on some sensitive issue with stakeholders.
He urged JEDC plc to take its corporate social responsibility as a priority to its Plateau state customers and retrain some staff on customers’ relationship.
Tokz complaints that there should effective communication through continuous enlightenment, town hold meetings and consultations with all stakeholders.
Addressing the protesters on behalf of the management, head of planning and maintenance, Engr. Mansur Na’kande apologized to the aggrieved group for not receiving them in time.
He admitted that, it is true that some the issues raised in their protest are true which the management is still discussion the problem.
Na’Kande assured of the company commitment to implement the outlined agreement reached with them by making sure that customers enjoy free meters which is their corporate responsibility.
The JEDC plc stressed that the meeting was organize to address some of the challenges that may likely to occur and regulate the importation of fake product into the country.
Head information, Dr Friday Elijah disclosed that some of these meters came in batches where company had distributed 60,000 in the store with 10,000 to Bauchi, Benue, Gombe and Plateau state.
He promised to partner with the appropriate body toward ensuring that citizens benefited from the smooth distribution.
