IE: Playing games with new meter (1)

IT HAS BEEN a long and tough battle between Ikeja Electric (IE) and this writer. It started with the installation of a new meter in my house on February 3. Poor me, I thought that was all! Until I went to the firm’s undertaking office at Shangisha near Magodo on February 5 to make some enquiries. When the new meter was installed, I still had some energy units left in the old one. The old meter card also had N15,000 worth of unused credit. I wanted to know how these could be transferred into the new meter.

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I was shocked when I was told that the new meter must first be commissioned before any other thing can be done. “Fine, how long will that take?” I asked. The front desk person said she could not say. She logged my report and issued me this code SR: 6109716. I followed up with a call on February 19 when I did not hear from them after two weeks. Five days later, I sent an email to IE’s customer care unit. Despite all my efforts and the fear that I expressed that I would be thrown into darkness if the meter is not commissioned before the energy units finished, IE did nothing.

Now, I have been without light for almost two weeks, and all I am still getting from IE are excuses and apologies for its inefficiency. Check: “we sincerely apologise for the delay and the inconvenience it has caused… your complaint is receiving priority attention and the responsible team is actively working to ensure resolution…” “Priority attention” indeed, for a meter installed exactly 45 days ago today! Not even NEPA or PHCN were this shoddy in their day. For now, I leave IE to the Lagos State Electricity Regulation Commission (LASERC) that has taken up the matter.