The Executive Director, Murhi International Television (MITV), Mr. Idris Gbadeyanka, has threatened to drag Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) before Federal High Court over estimated billings and non-provision of prepaid metres requested for more than three years ago.
Gbadeyanka, in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Monday, said has considered instituting litigation against IKEDC, because of the outrageous billings despite the fact that there was epileptic power supply and officials of the distribution company have not been coming to read the metres.
He, however, described the purported crazy bills that IKEDC has been bringing to MITV as well as some production plants, as a fraud and deliberate effort to rip-off and cripple the media business.
Gbadeyanka states further that the burden of the impunity allegedly being perpetrated by electricity companies on Nigerians became the major reason why MITV “is showing more interest on the pursuance of justice.”
He questioned the rationale behind the principle of ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul.’ He said: “come to think of it, how can an electricity company that has not read the obsolete metre, claimed they have been given targets that must be met at all cost by their bosses?
“IKEDC has been bringing unreasonable bills to the tune of millions of naira every month without actual reading of the metres. In other words, they bring estimated bills, which we must pay to the last Kobo within five days of receiving the bill, within the stipulated period, otherwise they will cut you off the power supply.”
“The worst that can happen is we exit using electricity like our fellow media colleagues and concentrate on 24 hours generator because paying for services not rendered violates citizens foundamental rights.
“The prepaid metre requested over three years ago had not been delivered. Businesses are suffering in the country, while many face extinction, when the options of relocation seems impossible. We are not going to lie fallow and watch more businesses collapse in this part of the country. We are seriously considering the option to sue the IKEDC at the Federal High Court and would not hesitate to involve international courts.
“Talks are ongoing with our lawyers in Nigeria and attorneys in New York to put an end to this criminality, so that business owners that don’t have a voice to confront this anomalities upfront can do so through our movement. We don’t care how much it will cost us to fight to see this illegal acts eradicated.
“The President has directed that there should be a nationwide mass-metering programme in an effort by the Federal Government to put a stop to estimated and arbitrary billings for electricity. But all fell into deaf ears by the electricity suppliers.
“Why on earth should we pay excessively for darkness as they experience power outage for average of 15 hours daily, while their estimated billings continue to increase geometrically, unabated.
“This has impacted negatively on the socio-economic development of the country and is currently inciting conflicts between the electricity distribution companies and aggrieved consumers across the country.”
