There was disarray on Saturday over the increase in power tariff after a document supposedly delivered by Eko Electricity Distribution Company guaranteed that the power sector regulator had endorsed tariff increase.
Endeavors to get the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission to respond to the document failed, as the representative for the office, Usman Arabi, would not pick calls.
He also did not reply to the text message sent to him on the matter.
Although Eko Disco later denied the document, it had allegedly informed its customers earlier that the NERC had directed Discos to increase tariff beginning from September 1, 2021.
In the document, with reference 023/EKEDP/GMCLR/0025/2021, dated August 25, 2021, it was alleged that the Disco officially informed its customers of the decision of upward tariff adjustment effective from September 1, 2021.
“The increase will be reflected on the energy bill for October 2021, which will represent energy consumption for September 2021,” the Disco allegedly stated.
In the notice to power users with meters, the Disco allegedly said, “For metered customers with internal vending arrangements, we urge you to adjust the rates accordingly to reflect the new tariff increase as released by NERC.”
But the Managing Director, EKEDC, Adeoye Fadeyibi, denied the document in a public notice which he pinned on Saturday.
He said, “Our attention has been drawn to news making the rounds in the media from unsupported sources of a planned adjustment in electricity tariffs.
“Eko Electricity Distribution Plc would like to inform the general public to disregard all such reports not emanating from the management or the company’s website – www.ekedp.com.”
Ada Peter
