By CONSTANCE ATHEKAME

Many electricity consumers on ?Bands B to E? in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have alleged discriminatory supply of electricity to their homes and business premises.

According to them, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company is giving preference to residents on Band A.

The residents spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.

They said the development had brought about epileptic power supply to those on other Bands, causing significant hardship on them.

Mr. Moses Omoruyi, a resident of Kuje in the FCT, who said he was on Band B, noted that there should be power supply to all electricity consumers irrespective of the band they belong.

Omoruyi emphasised that consumers should pay based on the units consumed, not the number of hours that power was supplied.

According to him, those on Band A are enjoying up to 18 to 20 hours power supply daily, while others are left to suffer.

?Those on Band A are enjoying regular power supply while others are left to suffer, are we not Nigerians like them?.

?Government should find a way of providing reliable and steady power supply to all Nigerians and the tariff should be uniform not satisfying some and leaving others,? he said.

Mrs. Ufuoma Ifeta, residing in Kubwa, suggested that the price of electricity should be reviewed downward to create an equal tariff for all consumers.

Ifeta said that the issue of Bands where some got power supply for close to 20 hours a day and others don?t get for more than two to five hours should be looked into.

?If we place everyone on an equal, affordable rate, people will still pay based on the number of units they consume,? she said.

Mr. Joseph Akhere, a civil servant also residing in Kubwa, said that government should focus on ways to provide reliable power supply to electricity consumers.

According to him, if power supply is regular people, will gladly pay for it.

He said that instead of concentrating only on those on Band A, electricity should be made to go round for every household in the country.

Mrs. Titilayo Olowu, who resides at Dutse, noted that if the government decided to move all consumers to Band A, the supply of power should be stable and consistent.

Olowu said that whatever band anyone found themselves, government should ensure that the infrastructure was in place to supply stable power.

Mr. Gilbert Akpan, also residing in Dutse, said that consumers on other bands were really suffering due to lack of constant power supply.

Akpan suggested that government should stop the preference given to consumers on Band A and give electricity to all its citizens with a uniform tariff

NAN reports that under the existing framework, Band A customers, who are guaranteed 18 to 20 hours of electricity daily pay ?209.5 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), while Band B pay ?63 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). (NAN)

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