By Maryam Ahmadu-Suka
Residents of Millennium City in Kaduna have appealed to Kaduna Electric to suspend the replacement of existing electricity meters until the resolution of a case on the exercise before a competent court.
The Chairman, Ministerial Plot Housing Estate Residents Associations (MPHERA), Mr Shafik Shira, made the appeal on behalf of residents of the affected estates at a press conference on Friday in Kaduna.
Shira said the residents were not opposed to electricity development, proper metering or the protection of Kaduna Electric’s revenue, but were concerned about the process being adopted for the proposed meter replacement.
He said the residents had constituted an Electricity Committee to promote a reliable and transparent electricity supply system while protecting the interests of both consumers and the distribution company.
“The matter is already before the court and we believe that the judicial process should be allowed to run its course.
“Further actions capable of escalating the dispute should be avoided pending the determination of the case”.
Shira also expressed concern over a recent disconnection notice issued by Kaduna Electric, questioning the rationale for threatening to disconnect an entire community over objections to a disputed metering exercise.
He argued that residents’ refusal to accept a particular type of meter should not automatically result in the disconnection of the entire community.
The chairman urged Kaduna Electric to ensure that its actions complied with the regulations of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), particularly those relating to consumer protection.
He also raised concerns over plans to install meters on electricity poles, saying such installations must comply with relevant NERC and Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) regulations.
According to him, NEMSA had conducted a technical verification exercise on meters in some of the affected estates and identified certain meters that required replacement or further action.
He, however, said the exercise should not be interpreted as a blanket authorisation for Kaduna Electric to replace all existing meters.
“Kaduna Electric should adhere strictly to the technical recommendations made by NEMSA and avoid actions beyond the scope of those recommendations”.
Shira also called for clarification on the status of existing Meter Asset Provider (MAP) meters purchased by residents, particularly outstanding energy-credit reimbursements.
He said residents needed to know the implications of replacing the MAP meters on consumers’ financial entitlements.
The chairman recalled that residents and community structures in Millennium City had maintained cooperation with Kaduna Electric for almost a decade.
He said residents had provided support and infrastructure that facilitated electricity distribution across the communities.
Shira also disclosed that complaints on metering, billing and electricity consumption had been received from consumers in Kaduna, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states.
He urged relevant authorities to investigate such complaints and ensure that consumers’ concerns were properly addressed.
“We support Kaduna Electric and the need for proper metering and revenue protection.
“However, all actions must be undertaken within the framework of the law and in a manner that protects the rights of electricity consumers”.
Shira appealed to Kaduna Electric to de-escalate the situation, respect the ongoing court proceedings and return to the negotiating table with the residents.
He said dialogue remained the best way to resolve the disagreement peacefully.
“We are not seeking confrontation. We are asking for fairness, transparency and adherence to the law.
“We believe that the law, dialogue and peace should prevail”.
