Temisan Olaifa
The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat, has lamented the increase in his monthly electricity bill, which he said shot up from N2.7 million in March to N29 million in April.
He also lamented that the electricity distribution company made it impossible for him to use the prepaid meter he procured.
The deputy governor spoke on Monday during a roundtable discussion between the Rural Electrification Agency and the Lagos state government in Victoria Island.
According to Punch, both parties were billed to sign a memorandum of understanding for the electrification of rural communities in Lagos.
Hamzat represented the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the event.
He decried what he called “crazy bills” from DisCos.
According to him, “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 N2.7 million last month. This month, Eko DisCo sent us a bill of N29 million.
“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 billing’. I bought the meter, but to convert it is wahala.”
He narrated how a consumer in the Coker Aguda area of Surulere was charged N2.8 million when his house rent was N2 million per annum.
“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 N2 million; they gave him a bill of N2.8 million 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.”
The deputy governor commended Biodun Ogunleye, commissioner for energy, for facilitating a solar power deal with the REA.
Speaking at the event, Ogunleye said Lagos has entered a partnership with REA to unlock new opportunities.
“Opportunities for those who never thought in their lifetime they would experience or live within an environment where there will be a constant and stable supply of electricity,” he said.
