Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has ordered Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to write-off accumulated billings for all communities on Lalupon/Iwo Road electricity feeder in Ibadan, up till November 2020. 

NERC Chairman, Olayiwola Oyelade, gave the order on Tuesday while deliberating on a case brought before the commission by the affected communities.

The Electricity Consumers’ Association on Lalupon/Iwo Road feeder had, on November 27, 2020, sought help from NERC over what it called outrageous billing.

The communities also demanded for an end to what they called epileptic power supply to the area.

In his ruling, Mr Oyelade ordered IBEDC to start fresh billing from December 2020 for all the customers affected by the estimated billing in the area.

He urged IBEDC to work on how to improve its services to more than 25,000 customers in the affected communities.

On the request to connect the communities to Iwo transmission substation, the NERC chairman implored them to exercise patience with IBEDC, noting that shifting to another transmission station might not solve their problem. 

He advised both parties to cooperate in finding lasting solutions to the issue of epileptic power supply in the area.

Briefing newsmen shortly after the sitting, Chairman of the association, Reverend Ezekiel Kehinde, said that the meeting was the continuation of the one they had on November 27, 2020.

“Then, IBEDC promised to connect us to the Iwo transmission substation but it has not done it till now. 

“Instead, they said that they had installed another ‘breaker’ at Adogba station, where they would be able to radiate light and that they had divided the area into three categories for electricity supply.

“They also said that the first community would be getting 12 hours of electricity supply daily, while the second and third categories would get eight and four hours of electricity supply daily respectively. 

“We agreed with their promises and explanations, at least, to see how it would work for the next one month,” Mr Kehinde stated.

Speaking on behalf of IBEDC, the Monatan Business Manager, Odubola Olajide, said that his company agreed with NERC’s resolutions and promised to abide by them.

“Let me use this opportunity to tell the aggrieved communities that all that has been said will be taken care of and that electricity supply to the area will improve,” Mr Olajide stated.

Scores of Lalupon/Iwo Road residents were seen around the venue of the sitting carrying placards with various inscriptions, calling on IBEDC to stop outrageous and insensitive billings. 

(NAN)