The Port Harcourt
Electricity Distribution Company (PHED), has denied charging customers above the approved N15.09 per kilowatt electricity rate to boost its revenue profile.
PHED’s Corporate Communications Manager, Mr. Jonah Iboma who spoke with newsmen in Port Harcourt on Friday said it was impossible to charge above the approved price as relevant agencies were regularly monitoring its activities.
He said that it was not possible for its officials to extort and exploit electricity customers, especially as the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and some relevant agencies were constantly monitoring its operations.
“I can really not react to what this so called Human Rights group is saying because they are not in existence and I think anybody can come up with anything in the name of trying to air their views.
“If they really have issues let them come to us and we are ready to discuss; then they will see how we arrive at the cost that we send to our customers.
“Added to that is the fact that PHED is the only Disco (Electricity Distribution company) in Nigeria that is offering customers meters free-of-charge.
“That is to say that if you want a meter, we have a finance scheme with Eco Bank that allows a customer to acquire meter free-of-charge.
“It tells you that meters are available for people if they are really willing (to acquire one); and the fact that we provide meters does not solve the problem of proper billing of customers or consumers.
“NERC has approached us to give them overview of how we have designed the scheme, so that other Discos can also adopt it,” he said.
Iboma challenged the Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (IHRHL) to provide evidence to prove that it charged electricity users in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Calabar and Rivers states above the NERC approved rate.
He alleged that some politicians in its areas of coverage were using their positions to deliberately bypass their pre-paid meters which had negatively impacted on the company’s revenue generation profile.
Our correspondent reports that the spokesman was reacting to a statement credited to the IHRHL which accused PHED of manipulation and extortion of customers through “disproportionate and fraudulent” estimation of electricity charges.
The Human right group claimed that electricity customers using pre-paid meters and those without meters were being charged above the NERC approved rates.
“IHRHL condemns this practice which amounts to crude economic exploitation and fraud of which, if decisive steps are not taken to stop this illegality; the matter will be taken to court,” the group warned.

Leader of Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Chidi Lloyd (left) with House member, Hon John Olu, during a press briefing shortly after the 2015 Appropriation Bill presentation on the floor of the House, recently.