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Customers of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) have lamented prolonged power outages following the failure of Non-STS prepaid meters, an older type of electricity meter installed in their homes and business premises.
The affected customers said they had been unable to load electricity units onto their prepaid meter cards for the past four weeks.
The development has left many households and business owners without electricity, with customers attributing the problem to the non-functionality of their Non-STS meters.
Our correspondent gathered that the affected customers had lodged complaints at various IBEDC offices in their localities, but the problem remained unresolved.
According to some of the customers, repeated visits to the electricity distribution company’s offices had yielded no positive results.
“We have become habitual callers at all the offices of the IBEDC in Ibadan and its environs to intimate them of the development.
“We were told that the only solution to our problem is the replacement of the Non-STS meters with STS-compliant meters.
“We have made several attempts to replace the old meters but to no avail. Some officials of the IBEDC are using unofficial agents to distribute the meters to customers.
“Even though the management of IBEDC insists that the meters are distributed at no cost, members of the public are paying between N90,000 and N150,000, aside from the installation charge.
“The management of IBEDC should beam its searchlight on the officials who are giving the company a bad name.
“Also, the management should come to our aid, especially those of us who are yet to get the STS meters, to minimise our daily losses,” they said.
However, a flyer titled Non-STS Meter Replacement Scheme, obtained from a management staff member of IBEDC who requested anonymity, stated that the replacement meters and their installation were free under the scheme.
The flyer also warned customers against making payments to anyone for the exercise.
It stated: “The replacement meter and its installation are free under this scheme. Customers are not required to pay IBEDC staff, installers or contractors for the exercise.
“Customers currently using Non-STS card meters within IBEDC’s franchise area are eligible for replacement under the scheme, subject to verification.” (Tribune)
