By Tunji Adegboyega
I saw it coming. I knew it was going to happen when, suddenly, we started experiencing a phenomenal and seemingly sustained power supply increase in my area a few weeks back. But I did not know that the improved power supply was a function of our forced migration from ‘Band B’ to ‘Band A’. This was apparently because I still had a lot of credit units in my meter. I told my people that Ikeja Electric was rehearsing how to take us to their second premium (I guess I am right) band. I was still empathising with those who were reporting their own experiences concerning the forced migration when mine came. That was on September 13. I paid N20,000 into my meter account, expecting to be credited with the usual 297 units. But I had only 88 units. That was when it dawned on me that I had been migrated from ‘Band B’ to the elite ‘Band A’. Unsolicited!
If only I had known, I would have vended (the electricity distribution companies’ (DisCos) terminology for recharging) about N100,000 the last time, even if it meant obtaining a loan to pay for it. I know you would say but that too would finish someday. Yes. But it would have lasted beyond the period that the last payment did. By now, I still would have been enjoying the benefit of being on ‘Band B’.
This piece ought to have come out on September 15 but I could not be talking about electricity ‘banding’ when that was the date Nigeria was to make history with the commencement of sale of petrol by Dangote Refinery. Also, for reasons beyond my control, I could not write last week. But my writing today has turned out to be a blessing in disguise somehow; with my personal experience of Tuesday, September 24.
That would seem to have provided what I can now call a litmus test for the migration to this second upper echelon of power consumers. Last Tuesday, power supply was interrupted in my area. By the time it returned, we did not have electricity in my apartment. I contacted Ikeja Electric. The next day, they came but their official who came told me that my meter was burnt and that must have happened due to overload. For me, only one of the two cables that take electricity to the meter was burnt at the top but the meter was still working; it was at least still reading; just that it was not supplying power. I said where would the overload have come from? None of the air conditioners in my apartment was installed; they are all still in their compartments. Second, as a rule, my wife would never allow anyone use both microwave oven and freezer at the same time; her own way of cutting cost. On my part, I do not even like using the microwave oven often because of fears of cancer that some people say comes with it. So, it was a thing we sparingly use. We iron clothes once in a while, yes. We don’t even use electric kettle as we have been used to using gas for that purpose ever since the days when electricity was scarce commodity in my area. That was quite some time now, though. So, where did the overload come from?
Anyway, it was after the Ikeja Electric official had left that I got in touch with someone who should know who told me the cable to the meter could also get burnt due to partial contact arising from the failure of the person who installed it to tighten it properly, and that that was what could have happened because he is fairly used to my place. He has an idea of the electrical appliances that we use.
The Ikeja Electric official said he would connect me directly and that they would have to take the meter away for a new one which I have to pay for. Grudgingly, I accepted direct connection but opposed the idea of making me pay for the replacement of the meter because, one, I was not even sure it was that serious, and two, even if it was, how do you prove overload in view of what I am cock sure I have on the meter that cannot in any way constitute overload, unless the meter is substandard or fake? He said it was neither. Anyway, I reluctantly agreed to direct connection because I know the tug of war that Ikeja Electric and I had in the days when they were still doing estimated billing in our area. I fought the company for one year and was without power supply for the period because I was convinced of the strength of my case. We went to NERC Forum and they were asked to connect me immediately when I told the forum that I had been yanked off the national grid for certain number of months then. We eventually settled the matter and my so-called debt then was substantially reduced, a thing that I settled not because I was convinced I owed but just to let sleeping dogs lie. That is why I don’t want any estimated billing again.
Anyway, since I have not had power supply up till now since Tuesday, I guess I may not have it until, tomorrow earliest, if not Wednesday, since Tuesday is public holiday. That would make it at least six consecutive days of darkness. I do not think this is right. Premium tariff deserves premium service. That is one of the problems I have with policies in the country. There should be timelines for some of these things. The point is; I am paying for a certain number of hours of power supply daily, a thing that the company, in fairness to it, has kept faith with in the past few months. But now that there is an issue, I do not think the customer should be left in darkness for this long; forget the fact that my meter is, after all, not reading. I want it to be reading so I can get light.
If electricity workers are regarded as people on essential services, I do not think they should have anything like public holidays or weekends. There should be internal arrangements as to how they organise themselves to give optimum service to their customers, especially now that they are making them pay higher tariffs.
In the lighter mood, however, which was supposed to be the mode of this write-up before the occurrence of September 24, I have always known that one can only enjoy the White man to the extent of one’s pocket (bi owo ba se mo ni eniyan se maa gbadun Oyinbo mo)! Ikeja Electric should have been patient and let me mature before imposing ‘Band A’ on me. But for my faith, I would have rejected it outright and in fact led a protest of those of us whose fundamental human right to freely choose the power band that we like has been eroded.
I would have loved to ‘port’ to another DisCo, but I can’t. Like telecommunications, it should be possible. But it is not, at least not yet. Even if it is, I know the difference would not be clear.
Meanwhile sha, I have claimed ‘Band A’ in Jesus’s name; but I still look forward to tariff reduction! I have always believed our people waste electricity a lot because it is cheap. But this tariff regime is also particularly killing.
Culled from The Nation
