Don’t pay for pre-paid metres, PHCN tells customers

THE Gwagwalada Business Unit of the Power Holding
Company of Nigeria (PHCN) has advised electricity
consumers to resist any form of extortion in the
ongoing installation of pre-paid metres at premises
in Gwagwalada.
Alhaji Aminu Bello, the manager of the unit, gave the
advice in Gwagwalada, on Tuesday, at a consultative
meeting with customers.
He said the call became necessary, following the high
number of complaints of extortion from consu-mers,
arising from the supply and installation of the
metres.
"Gwagwalada Business Unit is not directly involved
in the entire project, except to provide data on our
territorial boundary and provide or switch off power
when necessary.
"Since we have limited control over the World Bank
project, I encourage consumers with complaints of
extortion to report to the police," he said.
Bello blamed poor power supply to the area on its
distance from the national grid, calling on consumers
to be patient, as government was doing its best to
improve power supply to the area.
He urged consumers to pay their bills promptly and
to protect electricity installations to ensure constant
supply of power.
The manager cautioned consumers against sharp
practices in the use of pre-paid metres, saying that
PHCN would not tolerate any form of power theft.
Some of the consumers expressed dismay over the
failure of PHCN to provide transformers to custo-
mers, especially in rural communities.
A participant, Mr Martins Ibe, called on the Federal
Government to intensify efforts to complete ongoing
projects to boost power supply in Gwagwalada.