Pre-paid meters customers groan, as electricity network collapses in Kaduna

Electricity consumers using pre-paid meters have berated the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company for its inability to rectify faults which hindered them from recharging their accounts for over two weeks.

The News Agency of Nigeria [NAN] reports that network failure had left consumers with pre-paid meters to live in darkness as they were unable to recharge their lines.

Some of the customers told NAN in Kaduna on Tuesday that they now rely on their generators for electricity at home and in offices.

One of the affected customers, Mrs Mary Jatau said her prepaid units got exhausted more than two weeks ago and had been joining long queues to recharge without luck.

“I have been going to the prepaid centre in Kakuri everyday for more than two weeks to access units, it is same story each time, no network,’’ she said.

Jatau said her family now use generator to provide electricity and pump water from borehole.

She expressed concern that the company has not shown enough commitment to address the problem.

Another customer, Mallam Abdullahi Ba-Musa expressed similar concern, saying he had been trying to recharge for over 10 days.

Ba-Musa, a resident of Kurmin Mashi said he also had to rely on generator for electricity.

According to him his family now go to bed early to conserve fuel in the generator for the next day.

Also, a petty trader, Mrs Hadiza Rabiu said she could no longer use her fridges to store perishable foodstuff at home due to lack of electricity.

Rabiu, who runs a small provision shop at home in Rigasa area, said her soft drink and package water business had collapsed due non availability electricity.

She expressed the hope that the problem would be rectified soon.

NAN reports that similar complaints were reported from designated prepaid recharge centres across the city.

The company, however, said it is working to rectify the challenges customers are facing in recharging their pre-paid meters.

A statement issued by the company’s Head of Corporate Communication, Abdulazeez Abdullahi said the challenges would soon be over.

“The difficulty currently being faced by the company’s pre-paid customers in re-charging their meters was caused by network challenges.

“The ICT department of the company in conjunction with it service providers, are working assiduously to rectify the problem to overcome the challenge.

“The Company is deeply concerned about the difficulty our customers pass through while trying to re-charge their meters, just as we are doing everything possible to overcome the challenges.

“We assure all concerned that everything will be alright in due course.

“We sincerely regret the inconveniences caused our customers while appealing for your understanding and patience,” Abdullahi said.