Consumers of Electricity in the South East of Nigeria under the aegis of South East Electricity Consumers Association (SEECA) has threatened to embark on a one month warning strike if Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) fail to provide prepaid meters to all the customers.
The association decrying the estimated billing system, has decided to embark on a warning strike billed to take off between June 15, 2024 to July 14, 2024 night.
The association is worried that DisCos stifle Electricity Consumers through high and outrageous estimated billing.
The decision was taken at the SEECA Consultative Assembly (SCA) Summit held in Enugu, where electricity consumers across the five states of the South-East gathered to discuss the issue.
They said though they have been grappling with epileptic power supply, they were much perturbed about the estimated billing, hence the resolve to embark on the warning strike.
“The warning strike shall commence on the 15th day of June 2024 and ends on the midnight of July 14 2024.
“This unavoidable step is a prelude to a more biting action if the South East Electricity Consumers are not individually metered with prepaid meters,” they intimated.
Explaining how the warning strike would be embarked upon, the national chairman of SEECA, Rev. Okechukwu Obioha said that all the Consumers on estimated billing would stop paying the distribution companies while the warning strike lasts.
“Consumers will stop payment on estimated bills until the needful is done,” he said.
“We are saying, meter every consumer or we embark on strike. No prepaid meters, no payment,” he declared.
Also speaking, SEECA chairman, Enugu State chapter, Barr. Dorathy Oleka, said that the electricity distribution companies do not have the powers to disconnect their customers without giving at least 10 days notice and another two working days before disconnection will take place.
Oleka also said thar even after disconnecting a customer, the DisCos do not have right to take away wires and cables they disconnected, adding however that disconnected consumers should not reconnect illegally when disconnected.