The Manufacturers
Association of Nigeria, (MAN), has expressed worry over the inability of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) to fully implement the pre-paid metre regime in Rivers State.
The Executive Secretary of Rivers and Bayelsa States branch of the association, Mr Emmanuel Dogba, in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt on Thursday said the current estimations in the billing system of the company were outrageous.
He said the development had affected member companies of the association especially at this time of economic recession.
Dogba who wants the electricity distribution company to expand the installation of pre-paid metres, said the expectation has been long overdue.
Some residents of Port Harcourt who spoke to The Tide equally condemned the estimated billing system.
A welder, Mr Uche Wokem, who spoke to The Tide while narrating his dislike for the anticipated billing system, described it as fraudulent.
According to him, PHED staff does not read metres to know how much electricity consumers have used.
A printer at the Mile 1 area of Diobu, Mr Pius Chukwuma while speaking to The Tide said the people have been shortchanged for a long period of time.
He explained that the electricity distribution company was being paid for services that they never rendered.
“Infact, as far as I am concerned, this company is the richest because they are paid over what do not they supply”, he said.
The Tide gathered that the estimated billing system had compelled some companies to run their activities on generators.
One of the managers at a popular photo laboratory on Ikwerre Road who would not want his name in print told The Tide that for quite sometimes they had nothing to do with the electricity company.
The Tide further gathered that most people who use expensive machines for their business activities decided to use their own generators in order to check damage to their equipment as electricity goes out without notice.