OBAFEMI HAMZAT LAMENTS HIGH ELECTRICITY TARIFF, SAYS HIS BILL ROSE BY 974% IN A MONTH. (PHOTO).

 Obafemi Hamzat laments high electricity tariff, says his bill rose by 974% in a month

Obafemi Hamzat, deputy governor of Lagos state, says his electricity bill inexplicably skyrocketed from N2.7 million in March to N29 million in April.

Hamzat said the electricity distribution company (DisCo) also frustrated his efforts to utilise the prepaid meter he procured.

Punch reports that the deputy governor spoke on Monday during a roundtable discussion between the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the Lagos state government in Victoria Island.

Both parties were billed to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the electrification of rural communities in Lagos.

Hamzat, who represented Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, at the event, decried what he called “crazy bills” from DisCos.

“People that are trying to survive, and the common denominator for them is power. They don’t have power. There are billing challenges. In fact I’m a very good example,” he said.

“Last month, in my house, or the state house that I live in, the bill was N2.7 million last month. This month, Eko DisCo sent us a bill of N29 million.

“I sent it to the commissioner for energy. It’s crazy. I actually procured a meter. I bought a meter to say, ‘Look, don’t give estimated billing’. I bought the meter, but to convert it is wahala.”

He narrated how a consumer in the Coker Aguda area of Surulere was charged N2.8 million when his house rent is N2 million per annum.

“There’s a place called Coker Aguda in Surulere, and people came to me, and I was asking them to calm down. A man’s rent in a year is about N2 million; they gave him a bill of N2.8 million for electricity,” he said.

“How can the bill be more than the man’s rent for a year? Those are the challenges that we have.

“Our people are suffering because of estimated billing.”

Hamzat commended Biodun Ogunleye, commissioner for energy, for facilitating a solar power deal with the REA.

In his remarks, Ogunleye said Lagos has entered a partnership with REA to unlock new opportunities.

“Opportunities for those who never thought in their lifetime they would experience or live within an environment where there will be constant and stable supply of electricity,” he said.

“I am delighted that I know that REA has been to a number of other states, but when you are not in Lagos, you’re not yet there."