Business
Institute May Sue PHED Over Billing Of Consumers
The Institute of Human
Rights and Humanitarian Law (IHRHL) has expressed concern over what it termed highly disproportionate rate at which Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) charges power consumers.
The Economic and Socio-cultural Rights Unit of IHRHL in its press statement dated January 30, 2015 said complaints of undue estimation of electricity used per month by consumers in widespread.
The statement titled, “Excessive Charge By Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED)”, and made available to The Tide, noted that the high charge is experienced more by smart meter users and those who have no meter.
The release, signed by Wendy Mcleod-Harry noted that PHED, one of the distribution companies unbundled from PHCN is responsible for power distribution in Rivers State and receives financial returns for this service.
It said, whereas PHED in its consumer Handbook, promised to make sure everyone pays the right amount for electricity consumed and also promised to install more meters as well as ensure regular reading but accused PHED of failing in its avowed commitment.
Noting that people were being charged beyond the Kilowatts – hour they consumed per month in the name of estimated bill, the Rights institute said the company’s meter readers instead of reading the meters in homes and offices were swift to charge exorbitant prices from vain imaginations.
IHRHL condemned the company’s practice saying it amounts to “crude economic exploitation and fraud” and urged the power firm to give accurate charge of smart meter users and to also charge those without meters according to the appliances used and power consumed basing on the current rate of N15:09 per kwl.
It called on the Federal Government and the National electricity regulatory Commission (NERC) to intervene and prevail on PHED to fallow the rule of practice to ensure consumers pay according to services enjoyed.
The statement said in its drive for socio-economic rights and justice the body is willing to drag this matter to court on behalf of the poor and exploited people if the unjust practice is not speedily addressed.
Chris Oluoh