RESCUE US FROM DAYLIGHT ROBBERY BY ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES

By Yusuf Moruf Babatunde

This open letter is to shout out and for us to be rescued from an act of day light robbery by electricity distribution companies. We were being forced to pay for electricity we did not consume. This practice has greatly reduced the efficiency of electricity distribution companies in Ekiti State which is without measuring / metering system.

Electricity /power are very important in the path of industrial development, and it is a driving force in most of the small scale businesses (barbing, hairdressing, fashion. designing, welding, computer/business centers, etc). It also played a very important role in the various activities in our home.

The role of constant / stable supply of electricity in bringing down the cost of production could not be overemphasized with the rising cost of petroleum products. Due to unreliable source of electricity, our industries, small scale businesses, and households constantly relied on alternative source of power, usually, power generators, and this have been increasing our consumption and at the same time put pressure on the available petroleum products.

To my layman understanding, the privatization of electricity supply was aimed at increasing the efficiency of this important infrastructure for industrial revolution, increase activities of small scale businesses and enhanced domestic use. While there have been some marginal improvement in the distribution of electricity in some States, that of Ekiti State is still abysmally poor. The clear tenable reason for the fair efficiency in the distribution of electricity in some States was because of availability of standard measurement of quantity of consumption by the use of efficient meter system; the consumer paid for what they consumed. The distribution companies in these States

were compelled in a way to improve on the distribution by ensuring availability of electricity as much as possible and this will also reflect on their returns.

Completely different scene is playing out in Ekiti State, consumers were being arm twisted and forced to pay for electricity not supplied /consumed. No meter to measure quantity of consumption. With this mode of operation in Ekiti State, the distribution company was less concerned to improve the supply of electricity, since bills would still be generated and consumers would be made to pay. Failure to pay would lead to disconnection.

Rescue us from this double jeopardy, an unending agony.

#STOPDAYLIGHTROBBERY

#MASSMETERING

#UNINTERUPTEDELECTRICITYSUPPLY