ELECTRICITY: Reps demand end to estimated billing, say it’s criminal

The House of Representatives has passed a bill criminalizing estimated billing by electricity distribution companies in the country.

The bill, sponsored by the Majority Leader of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, also seeks to amend the Electric Power Reform Act.

The lawmakers unanimously adopted the report of the committee set up to work on the bill. The bill was subjected to a public hearing on June 5, 2018.

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Yusuf Lasun, who presided over the session, put the report to a voice vote and it was approved overwhelmingly.

The bill will be transmitted to the Senate for agreement, after which it will be transmitted to the President for his assent.

Gbajabiamila had at the public hearing stated that it was only in Nigeria electricity customers were billed arbitrarily.

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He added that estimated billing could only be used in situations where the consumers’ meters could not be accessed by the service provider.

According to the Majority Leader, the bill, when passed into law, would stop estimated billing.

“The bill will ensure that prepaid meters are installed in all houses, so long as the customers apply for them,” he had said.

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