- Safiu Kehinde
Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, has cried out over the increase in his residence’s electricity bill from N2.7 million in March to N29 million in April.
Hamzat made the disclosure during a discussion held yesterday at Victoria Island.
As quoted in a post shared on X on Tuesday, the Lagos Deputy Governor decried the surge in estimated billing as he narrated his ordeal while speaking at the event organized by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA),
“People that are trying to survive, and the common denominator for them is power. They don’t have power. There are billing challenges. In fact, I’m a very good example.
“Last month, in my house, or the state house that I live in, the bill was N2.7m last month. This month, Eko DisCo sent us a bill of 29m.
“I sent it to the Commissioner for Energy. It’s crazy. I actually procured a meter. I bought a meter to say, ’Look, don’t give estimated billing. I bought the meter, but to convert it is wahala.” The Deputy Governor said.
He also shared the ordeal of a Lagos resident who experienced sharp increase in his electricity bill which was more than his house rent in a year.
“There’s a place called Coker Aguda in Surulere, and people came to me, and I was asking them to calm down. A man’s rent in a year is about N2m; they gave him a bill of N2.8m for electricity.
“How can the bill be more than the man’s rent for a year? Those are the challenges that we have.
“Our people are suffering because of estimated billing.” Hamzat added.
The Lagos Deputy Governor, however, hailed the Commissioner for Energy, Biodun Ogunleye, for initiating a solar power deal with the REA.
Ogunleye, in his remark, said the partnership with REA will see Lagos enjoy constant and stable electricity supply.
“Opportunities for those who never thought in their lifetime they would experience or live within an environment where there will be constant and stable supply of electricity,” he said.
“I am delighted that I know that REA has been to a number of other states, but when you are not in Lagos, you’re not yet there.” he said.