“DisCo Hiked My Bill from N2.7m to N29m,” Lagos Deputy Governor Hamzat Cries Out
- The deputy governor of Lagos state, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, has decried the rising cost of electricity in the state
- At an event on Monday, he called out DisCo over crazy billing and added that, despite paying for a prepaid meter, efforts to have it activated were frustrated by the electricity distribution company
- Hamzat revealed that his monthly power bill went from N2.7 million in March to N29 million in April
TheTalk.NG journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
The Deputy Governor of Lagos state, Obafemi Hamzat, has lamented that the utility company supplying electricity to his quarters raised his bill from N2.7 million in March to N29 million in April.
Lagos Deputy Governor Hamzat blows hot over crazy electricity bill.
Photo credit: Dr. Obafemi HamzatSource: Facebook
According to Hamzat, the DisCo also frustrated his efforts to get metered despite paying for a prepaid meter.
As reported by The Punch on Tuesday, April 15, the deputy governor revealed this on Monday, April 14, at a roundtable held in Victoria Island between the REA and the Lagos state government.
The REA and Lagos state government were in Lagos to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the electrification of rural communities in Lagos.
Hamzat, who represented Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the event, decried what he called ‘crazy billing’.
“People that are trying to survive, and the common denominator for them is power. They don’t have power. There are billing challenges. In fact I’m a very good example.
“Last month, in my house, or the state house that I live in, the bill was N2.7m last month. This month, Eko DisCo sent us a bill of 29m. I sent it to the Commissioner for Energy. It’s crazy. I actually procured a meter. I bought a meter to say, ’Look, don’t give estimated billin’g. I bought the meter, but to convert it is wahala,” he lamented.
He narrated how a consumer in the Coker Aguda area of the state was charged N2.8m when his rent is N2m.
Lagos deputy governor Hamzat laments over efforts to get prepaid meter.
Photo credit: Dr. Obafemi HamzatSource: Facebook
“There’s a place called Coker Aguda in Surulere, and people came to me, and I was asking them to calm down. A man’s rent in a year is about N2m; they gave him a bill of N2.8m for electricity. How can the bill be more than the man’s rent for a year? Those are the challenges that we have.
“Our people are suffering because of estimated billing,” he stated.
Hamzat cried out days after TheTalk.NG reported that there may be another electricity tariff increase for other bands, as the government is set to regularise prices.
Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu listed reasons why it has become important to close the price gap.
The power sector has failed to attract investments at the pace the government expected, and DisCos are not operating optimally.
Read more about Lagos state, electricity hike here:
APC chieftain shares tips on how to avoid “crazy electricity bills”
Meanwhile, TheTalk.NG previously reported that APC chieftain Joe Igbokwe has again lamented the electricity hike in the country.
The former aide to Lagos state governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said he now has to switch off his air conditioners and other electricity appliances.
Igbokwe said it is difficult to survive days after lamenting he spent up toN20,000 daily on electricity consumption.
Source: TheTalk.NG
