Outrageous Bills: Consumer Council Summons Discos

Following recent complaints of outrageous bills levelled against

Electricity Distribution Companies in Nigeria, the Consumer Protection
Council has summoned all the Discos to appear before it to defend
themselves against the allegations.

The council noted that the move was necessary because the council has
been inundated with consumer complaints on exploitative electricity
billing.

In a statement by the council, it noted that CPC had through a letter
by its Director-General, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, informed the power firms and
fixed the hearing on the complaints for next week Monday, September 7.

The statement said, “The Council, in response to numerous complaints
of electricity consumers on estimated bill and non-provision of
metres, issued the summons to each of the distribution companies,
warning that absence by any of the companies at the hearing would be
regarded as a violation of its enabling Act.

“The Federal Government’s apex consumer protection agency, in a letter
dated, August 26, 2015 and signed by its Director General, Mrs. Dupe
Atoki, has fixed Monday, September 7, 2015 for the hearing on these
issues.

“The agency, in its letter, stated that it has been inundated with
complaints commonly referred to as ‘crazy bills’, by which Electricity

By Patrick Aigbokhan