HE Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) has decried the debt burden of N1.5 billion monthly owed it by customers in Oyo, Ogun, Osun and Kwara states.

It also distributes electricity to some parts of Kogi and Ekiti states, where it claimed, electricity users were also indebted to it.

Many homes within Ibadan city and environs are facing mass disconnection of electricity as a result of the debt.

Some customers complained of "crazy bills" and "over-bloated bills. Others insisted that they would not pay for what they did not use.

IBEDC spokesman Mr. Frank Williams, who lamented the refusal of some customers to pay up their debt, said the company had no delight disconnecting electricity, "but at times, disconnection is the last resort""

He said it has become increasingly difficult for the company to run its operations due to the huge debt burden, adding that despite the action taken to disconnect electricity, the N1.5 billion debts had continued to widen every month.

Williams said: "Disconnection is carried out as a last resort after all reasonable means has been exhausted. First of all, we started with a notice to alert electricity consumers that their bills were accruing and that they would get to a level when we would disconnect because every of our customer relations officer has a target to meet.

"Then, after that, we will apply the maximum action to disconnect. So, disconnection is not rampant, except there is debt and customers are not making effort to offset it. We disconnect when we are pushed to the wall, you know we are a private company.

"We buy electricity as you do. We buy electricity from another company. So, just as you pay your bill, we pay for electricity every month and every month our debt margin kept widening and accruing. That is why we disconnect".

When The Nation visited some parts of the city, including Ore-Meji, Sango, Apata, Omi-Adio,Mokola, and Jericho, many residents related how their homes were disconnected by officials of IBEDC over questionable debt.

They accused the electricity company of failure to meet its obligation to its customers through constant blackout. In a bid to ensure steady power supply to residents of Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti States, the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) said it spent N1 billion on network repairs and augmentation of other facilities.

The company, however, condemned the low level of payment for electricity by its customers.

It described it a major challenge in the power sector, urging customers to pay their bills regularly.

It also lamented that about 22 to 25 per cent of illegal consumption and 12 to 15 per cent meter infractions were major challenges to successful power supply.

BEDC's Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Funke Osibodu, spoke in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, yesterday at an interactive session with customers and other stakeholders.

Mrs. Osibodu, who was represented by BEDC's Chief Corporate Services Officer, Mrs. Kunbi Labiyi, explained that the interactive session was sssto sensitise customers on the planned review of electricity tariff.