Some electricity
consumers in Ebute-Meta, Mainland Local Government Area of Lagos State, have appealed to Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) to install new meters in their neighbourhood.
Our correspondent reportS in Lagos recently that virtually all the meters in their area were non-functional, as most of them were installed over 50 years ago.
Chairman, Ijero Community Development Association, Alhaji Nosiru Muritala,said that electricity consumers in the area received outrageous bills every month because of their defective meters,  stressing that they could no longer continue to pay “crazy bills”.
“Some communities around us have their electricity meters installed within the last two years.
“Such areas include Iponri Housing Estate, some parts of Mushin, Ijora, Orile and some parts of Itire.
“Why then should EKEDC continue to give our community estimated bills when they could have provided us with pre-paid meters?
“They keep bringing outrageous bills and when you complain, you will be disconnected,’’ he said.
Mr Ikechukwu Okere, a lawyer at Shyllon Street, Ebute-Meta, said that EKEDC had promised them several times that meters would be installed in their houses “but up till now, we have continued to wait.
“The company promised to install pre-paid meters last November; when it was November, it went on air that by December it will provide meters for all communities within its zone.
“This is another year and we have not seen the meters. All we are saying is that they should give us meters so that we can measure the energy we use monthly,” he said.
Alhaja Kudirat Mobolaji, a landlady at Shofuntere Street, Ebute-Meta, said that EKEDC officials used to give her a monthly bill of N12,000, while her neighbours, who were using pre-paid meters, paid a meagre sum of N3,000 to recharge their meter every month.
Mobolaji urged EKEDC to provide the residents with functional meters in order to reduce their monthly bills.
Responding,  Head of Corporate Communications Unit of EKEDC, Mr Godwin Idemudia, urged electricity consumers in Ebute-Meta to exercise patience with regard to the installation of their prepaid meters.
He said that the company was following laid-down guidelines in metering consumers within the zone.
Idemudia assured the aggrieved residents that pre-paid meters would soon be installed across the area.
He, however, said that electricity consumers in the area could apply for pre-paid meters through the CAPMI scheme.
Idemudia said that under the scheme, consumers would pay for the meters but they would later be refunded.