Customer Flays PHED Over Missing Prepaid Meter In Uyo
A former chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ, Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Israel Umoh, has vehemently condemned the attitude of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution PHED, company over his missing prepaid meter.
In a statement made available to TNN, Umoh expressed dismay that the electricity distribution company was defying the decision of a vital regulatory agency; Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission NERC, on the matter.
He lamented that in September last year, “a female voice from customers service, PHED, Port Harcourt office called and promised that they were looking into the matter with a view to resolving it. After that, the voice was not heard again till date.
“PHED is taking many people mostly its customers for granted, From estimated bill to arbitrary charges, you know that the company has no regard for any except to make money.”
The aggrieved complainant explained that NERC Uyo Forum Office, 63 Osongama Road, Uyo, in its latest decision directed PHED to supply a prepaid meter to him but regretted that even after filing his appeal, the company was still allegedly defiant in retrieving and restoring the meter.
Umoh frowned that the company’s action was depriving the users of electricity supply for years and demanded that the company should investigate, track and recover his missing meter.
The statement explained that “a copy of the forum’s decision which was presided over by Chief David Udoh with Engr. Peter Umanah, Engr. Benjamin Ekanem, Mr. Patrick Emeka Chima and Engr. Dickson, Peter Akpan as members, revealed that on June 1, 2023, the Uyo Forum Office listened to and decided on a complaint no. NERC/UY/4/23/19 brought before it by Umoh, who is a customer and complainant.
“The complainant in his submission insisted that PHED was in the position to investigate the whereabouts of the prepaid meter and requested that it be tracked and returned.
“He also prayed PHED to recover and return the meter, alleging that those in position of the meter are those whose business was related to the business of meter installation and insisted that PHED knew how to get them.
The statement also revealed PHED’s response to the complaint. “PHED submitted that it was possible to block the meter but that the complainant was in custody of the meter as it was installed on the wall of his property and not on the pole.”
After hearing from the complainant and respondent, the statement noted that the forum informed PHED that the meter was their property as enshrined in the Metering Code and Distribution Code and ruled that in line with MAP/NMMP regulation section 21.1e with regards to the responsibility of the DisCo, respondent to replace the stolen MAP meter within 10 days.
It further stated that “The forum directed the Respondent to investigate and retrieve the stolen meter within 10 days. Both Respondent and Complainant were asked to appeal the ruling within 10 days. Though the Complainant appealed the delay in implementation, PHED did not appeal the decision.
“After 249 days, PHED has disobeyed the NERC’s decision and by turning deaf ears to plights of the complainant-customer has made the Uyo forum looks like a toothless bulldog.
‘‘In January 2024, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Abuja Office wrote to the complainant to appeal for review of the matter on or before January 10, 2024.”
