Kaduna residents protest over electricity bills

The residents of Kaduna State, under the umbrella of the Concerned  People of Doka, Kaduna North Local Government have stormed the headquarters of the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) on Ahmadu Bello Way  over outrageous billings.

The leader of the group, Comrade Ladan Abdullahi, said they  would not allow the Company rest until it revised to the old tariff.

The protesters,  who were carrying  placards with the inscriptions  “we no go pay, we no go pay. No light, we no go pay,” refused to allow  the staff and visitors  assess  into the premises of the company.

According to Ladan, people had not been enjoying sufficient supply of electricity and they were being charged with outrageous bills amounting to eight-thousand naira while some were paying twelve thousand naira.

He added that they had written a letter to the Company demanding for explanation but had not received any reply from them prompting the peaceful protest.

He brought the letter dated 18th April, 2017 and parts of which read “the residents of this community in particular Unguwar Liman and Unguwar Gaji have not been enjoying sufficient supply of electricity in contrast to Ahmadu Bello way phase which enjoys almost 24 hours uninterrupted supply,” the letter said.

They also complained that the recent prepaid meter imposed on the community was not fair to a common man considering the economic recession that people were experiencing.

The residents, however, appealed to the management of Kaduna Electric to, as a matter of urgency, look into the outrageous billing and improve on its services.

Responding, the Director Communication of the Electricity Company, Mallam Abdulhazeez Abdullahi, who came to address the protesters, appealed to them to go back to their respective homes as the company would look into their grievances with dispatch.

He later invited the leaders of the protesters for a closed door  meeting.