Reps revisit bill to criminalise estimated billing – TheNigerialawyer

The House of Representatives has revisited the bill seeking to
criminalise estimated billing of electricity consumers by
Distribution Companies.

When the proposed law is passed by the National Assembly and
assented to by the President, it will become criminal for service
providers to issue estimated billing, also known as ‘crazy
bill.’

Its issuance would attract either a one-year jail term or a fine
of N1m or both.

The proposed law would also compel a Distribution Company to
provide pre-paid meter to an applicant within 30 days.

It would also bar the DISCOs from disconnecting the consumer
after the 30-day period within which meters should be
installed.

The Electric Power Sector Reform Act (Amendment) Bill 2018,
which the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, then as Majority Leader,
presented in the 8th National Assembly, was re-presented in July
2019.

Our correspondent obtained a copy of the proposed legislation on
Thursday.

The bill is entitled, ‘A Bill for an Act to Amend the Electric
Power Sector Reforms Act to Prohibit and Criminalise Estimated
Billing by Electric Distribution Companies and Provide for
Compulsory Installation of Pre-Paid Meters to All Power Consumers
in Nigeria and Other Related Matters.’

The bill had reached the committee stage and a public hearing
conducted on it before the last National Assembly wound down in
May, 2019.

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