LAGOS, JULY 25, 2016 – Electricity consumers in Aparadija in Itele area of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area in Ogun have complained of extortion by officials of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).The consumers alleged that the officials collect N3, 000 flat from landlords without providing them monthly bills.
A landlord, Mr Lamidi Hammed, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday that in spite of the huge investment of landlords and other consumers in electricity infrastructure, the distribution company had continued to charge outrageous bills without power supply.
“We contributed money to buy electricity poles, wires and a transformer before we could get electricity in the area.
“In spite of these contributions, IBEDC officials from Ota Business Unit have been collecting money from consumers in the community even without providing bills.
“We (Aparadija community) are appealing to IBEDC to stop its staff from further extorting us.
“We contributed N30,000 per house for the purchase of transformer and another N27,000 for concrete poles and wires,’’ he said.
“We have not even enjoyed electricity supply for two weeks when they started demanding N3,000 for the supply.’’
He accused the company of embarking on mass disconnection of houses from electricity poles.
Hammed said:”This is wrong, the community spent millions of naira to get connected to the national grid and should have enjoyed supply for some months before this extortion.’’
According to Mr Bintinlaye Ayinde, another landlord, he paid the N3, 000 twice without collecting receipt from the officials.
“They failed to issue receipts or bills to indicate that we have paid.’’
A frozen foods seller, Mrs Nike Alonge, said apart from the N3, 000 the company collect from consumers, traders were also not spared.
“They collect N2,000 from traders monthly without bills,’’ she alleged.
Contacted, Mrs Angela Olanrewaju, the Head, Corporate Communications at IBEDC headquarters in Ibadan, she said “It is wrong to collect money from electricity consumers without giving them monthly bills.
“The management will investigate the matter and appropriate disciplinary measures would be meted out to the officials involved.’’
She, however, appealed to consumers in Aparadija community to stop paying money to any staff of the company without bills.
