By Val Obienyem
I have a friend who recently faced a frustrating issue with electricity providers. According to electricity workers, his prepaid meter was burnt. He was informed that prepaid meters were not available. Consequently, he was left with the option of applying for an estimated bill, which he was told would cost him around N45,000 to N50,000 monthly.
The problem is that my friend is a junior civil servant in Anambra State, earning a salary of less than N40,000. With a prepaid meter, he could manage his electricity expenses based on his budget. However, with an estimated bill, he would not be able to pay. This highlights the fact that an average civil servant’s salary cannot cover even basic expenses like electricity bills, let alone other necessities.
It’s perplexing that the government hasn’t withdrawn the licenses of distribution companies all over Nigeria (Discos) that fail to provide meters. When they claim that meters are unavailable, it’s as if they expect us to believe that these meters are manufactured in heaven. In reality, other countries like Rwanda have successfully implemented metering systems, with every household, no matter how poor, having a meter installed.
It’s disheartening that simple solutions that work elsewhere pose significant challenges in Nigeria. Nigeria as it is today is truly a failed country.
