Power: Jos residents lament new metre high tariffs

Some customers of Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) are lamenting over what they described as fast consumption of units by the meters recently installed for them by the Jos DisCo.

Daily Trust had reported how Jos DisCo recently commenced mass metering in Jos to ensure that all customers are metered.

But soon after the installation in some areas, some communities have begun to complain about the development, saying the tariff was high and whenever they vend light, the units finish within a short period.

Musa Jabir Abunaka, a resident of Unguwan Rogo, complained that he bought N4,000 units which did not last for 17 days, adding that, “Despite sticking to all conditions given to us, the units did not last for reasonable number of days. We have stopped using electric cooking appliances and irons. We have also stopped using the power for many other things but it did not yield any positive results.”

Aliyu Keti, another resident of the area, said “We prefer to go back to the estimated billing because we cannot continue to afford the units. I bought the N5,000 units but it did not last for two weeks. We thought the meters would be better but that hasn't been the case.”

Reacting to the complaints, the Head, Corporate Communication, Dr. Friday Adakonle Elijah, said there was nothing to complain about the meters because they were fully certified by the appropriate bodies before distributing them to customers.

He said, “There is nothing wrong with the metres. The metres comply with the required specifications and standards. Any customer with a complaint should report to the nearest office to him/ her for quick resolution of the problem.

“Customers should also ensure that their premises are properly earthed by qualified engineers to avoid energy leakages,” he added.