A Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Apeiye Becon Clement, has dragged the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) Plc, before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for failure to supply him a pre-paid metre, which he claimed to have paid for since 7 October, 2008.
The lawyer, in his petition entitled Petition Against Fraudulent Act of Obtaining Money Under False Pretence of Providing Me With A Pre-paid Meter, Perpetrated By The Management Staff of Power Holding Company of Nigeria Plc, claimed that he had paid for the metre almost three years ago but nothing was given to him.
He also claimed that the marketing manager, Somolu District, once told him that his file could not be traced and that was why his application could not be processed for the metre.
“We paid for a pre-paid metre since almost three years which has not been given to us, neither did PHCN refund our money.
“Worthy of note is the fact that the marketing manager, Somolu District, came to our chambers sometimes ago and demanded for photocopies of my draft and application form.
“We are writing this petition on behalf of myself and other Nigerians, who have paid for this metre but are yet to be supplied,†the lawyer stated in the petition, while calling on the anti-graft agency to look into the matter, as money paid for pre-paid metres may have gone into the pockets of private individuals.
A PHCN legal staff at the Alausa office of the company who craved anonymity, attributed the non supply to shortage of the metres.
He blamed the contractors handling the supply for not supplying enough to PHCN, while urging the petitioner to go to the Somolu District for his receipt which will be used to allocate the metre to him at the Alausa office.
—Paul Sanusi
I have an issue like this too, I made payment in April 2009 for N50,000. I have been pushed to the left and to the right. I would have love to contact the learned gentleman who is fighting on behalf of the rest of us..
This is long overdue!
PHCN must be mandated to provide pre-paid meters to all electricity users in Nigeria.
It will stop PHCN’s fraudulent activities and ensure that they provide service for the money they collect from Nigerians.