IBEDC is the power distribution company that offers electricity services to residents in the South-Western region of Nigeria. But other than areas in the southwest, some parts of the middle belt such as Kogi and Niger states also make use of the services of this monopolistic electricity distribution company.
The services offered by this company are supposed to be noble as a lot depends on electricity. Unfortunately, this is far from the case as IBEDC has proved time and time again to be interested in ripping its customers of their hard-earned money. This is without offering the expected services. Some of the ways this nightmare of a company has continually extorted its poor customers are in the following ways:
• Refusal to Offer Prepaid Meter to Customers
IBEDC knows too well that massive access to prepaid meters will drastically reduce its chances of generating illicit revenue from its customers. This is why they have made it near impossible for some of their clients to get this metering system.
For example, a clergyperson in Osogbo and a community leader in the Agunbelewo axis of the city explained that they had paid for a prepaid meter for over 7 years and had not been given one. In the meantime, the company keeps reeling out bills that are clearly for services not rendered.
• Charges for Supplying Darkness
As far as dealing with IBEDC is concerned, the worst thing that can happen to a customer is to do business with this company without having a prepaid meter. IBEDC makes life unbearable for such people by supplying darkness and billing them for doing very little or nothing.
For example, a part of Osogbo was thrown into darkness because of their faulty transformer. For starters, the community is solely responsible for repairing such electricity distribution facilities even though it is legally considered IBEDC property. To make matters worse, IBEDC distributed electricity bills for the entire month that the community did not have access to electricity. This is something that this nightmare company is fond of doing.
• Refusal to Read Black Meter
To be quite fair, this is not something done in all IBEDC branches. However, it should be noted that some branches of this nightmare company have taken to the habit of refusing to read black meters. Instead, the company issues exorbitant and dubious direct charges.
Conclusion
The likes of IBEDC continue to make life a living hell for average Nigerians. Addressing the problems of this country would include paying attention to the acts of extortion by this company and calling them to order. Until then, we will continue to deceive ourselves.
