Electricity consumers in Bauchi State have decried high tariffs, epileptic supply and non-availability of prepaid meters in the state.
They also accused the Distribution Companies (DISCOs), particularly Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JED), of sabotaging the Federal Government for its failure to install prepaid meters in conformation with the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP).
The federal government had earlier mandated the DISCOs to meter residential and commercial buildings under its National Mass Metering Programme, NMMP.
Some of the residents interviewed in the Bauchi metropolis, such as Abdulmajid Lawal and Buhari Abdullahi, said the JED company had last year promised to continue the installation of meters by the first week of last September but failed to fulfill its promise.
They said most of the electricity consumers in the state were exorbitantly charged despite the epilepsy in the supply, urging the authorities concerned to, as a matter of urgency, look into their plight.
The consumers, who claimed that they use the electricity on demand, said they were in dire need of the prepaid meters because their counterparts elsewhere were enjoying it on the same basis.
A commercial consumer, Abubakar Muhammad said 70% of his work was with power generating set due to inconsistency in electricity supply in his area.
Other commercial consumers, like Idris Muhammad, Goodnews Sunny and Safiyanu Ladan all using prepaid meters, claimed that in the last three months, they were used to buying 38 units at the rate of N2000 but the consumption by the unit has been increased by the Distribution Company.
Other residents, Jamilu Muhammad and Shehu Abubakar, complained that the JED company charged them three times the money they were being previously charged, arguing that the amount was too much compared to what they consumed.
The Former Regional Manager of JED Company in Bauchi, Auwalu Babajada had in late August, 2021, granted an exclusive interview to Radio Nigeria in which he assured the public that by the first week of September that year, the Metering exercise would continue, but his promise has yet to come to fruition.
At the time of filing this report, all efforts to see the current Regional Manager of the JED Company proved abortive as he was said to be in Jos, Plateau state, for an official assignment.
Reporting by Murtala Muhammad; Editing by Abdullahi Lamino and Tony Okerafor