Adamu Yusuf
Residents of Millennium City in Kaduna have appealed to the Kaduna State Governor Senator Uba Sani to intervene in their dispute with Kaduna Electric over the proposed replacement of existing electricity meters and the recent plan ti disconnect the community.
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The Chairman of the Ministerial Plot Housing Estate Residents Associations (MPHERA), Shafik Muazu Shira, made the appeal on behalf of residents of the affected estates during a press conference in Kaduna.
He said the prolonged power outage could expose the community to security risks, particularly at night, warning that darkness in residential areas could create an environment conducive to criminal activities.
Shafik Muazu Shira said the residents were not opposed to Kaduna Electric, proper metering or the development of the electricity sector, but were concerned about the manner in which the proposed meter replacement exercise was being conducted.
According to the Chairman, the residents had remained law-abiding and established an Electricity Committee to promote the integrity of electricity supply while protecting the interests of both consumers and the distribution company.
Shira said the matter was already before the court and appealed to Kaduna Electric to suspend further action on the disputed meter replacement exercise pending the determination of the case.
He also expressed concern over the recent disconnection oder placed at MPH and TUC estates disconnection, saying the development had raised serious concerns among residents over the safety of the area.
He urged the Kaduna State Governor Senator Uba Sani to intervene urgently to prevent the dispute from escalating and ensure that electricity supply to the affected communities was restored while the substantive issues were resolved through dialogue and the appropriate regulatory channels.
The chairman said residents were particularly worried about the security implications of leaving a large residential community without electricity.
He said darkness at night could make streets and other areas difficult to monitor and potentially expose residents to criminal activities.
Shira called for a peaceful resolution of the dispute, stressing that residents wanted to work with Kaduna Electric and relevant authorities rather than engage in confrontation.
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On the proposed replacement of existing meters, he said the residents’ objection was not to metering itself but to what they described as the manner and circumstances surrounding the exercise.
He argued that refusal by residents to accept a particular DISREP meter should not automatically result in the disconnection of an entire community, stressing the need for compliance with the applicable Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Customer Protection Regulations.
Shira also raised concerns over the proposed installation of meters on electricity poles, saying such installations should comply with relevant NERC and Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) regulations.
He noted that NEMSA had conducted a technical verification exercise on meters within the affected estates and identified some meters that required replacement or further action.
The chairman maintained that the exercise did not amount to a blanket approval for Kaduna Electric to replace all existing meters, urging the company to abide by NEMSA’s technical recommendations.
He also sought clarification on the status of existing Meter Asset Provider (MAP) meters purchased by residents, particularly outstanding energy-credit reimbursements and the implications of replacing such meters on the entitlements of affected consumers.
Shira said residents had cooperated with Kaduna Electric for nearly a decade and provided support and infrastructure that facilitated electricity distribution within the communities.
He said they were therefore appealing for dialogue rather than confrontation.
“We support Kaduna Electric, proper metering and protection of the company’s revenue, but all actions must be carried out in accordance with the law,” he said.
The chairman also said residents had received complaints from electricity consumers across Kaduna, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states concerning metering, billing and electricity consumption, urging relevant authorities to investigate such complaints.
He appealed to Kaduna Electric to de-escalate the situation, restore electricity supply to the affected community, respect the ongoing court process and return to the negotiating table.
Shira urged the Kaduna State Government to use its good offices to facilitate an amicable resolution, saying the immediate priority should be to protect residents from the consequences of prolonged darkness while the wider metering dispute is addressed.
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He stressed that the residents were seeking fairness, transparency and adherence to the law, adding that “the law, dialogue and peace should prevail.”