Abia State House of Assembly Committee on Power and Public Utilities, has tasked Abia Power limited on the need to expedite the implementation of its ongoing mass metering programme of the Aba Ring-Fenced Area.

Chairman of the Committee, Hon Aaron Uzodike and a member of the committee, Hon Stephen Ucheonye Akachukwu gave the task when they visited the firm as part of their oversight function.

During the visit, Hon. Uzodike and Hon. Ucheonye Akachukwu, representing Aba North and Aba Central State Constituencies respectively, conveyed consumers’ dissatisfaction over estimated billing and the practice of charging customers during periods of zero power supply.

They harped on the need for Aba Power to prioritize the installation of smart (pre-paid) meters across its service areas, adding that this was key to promoting transparency, curbing exploitation, as well as restoring public trust.

While acknowledging ongoing infrastructure improvements by Aba Power, the lawmakers insisted that effective metering remains the best way of restoring consumers confidence in the system.

Hon. Uzodike and Hon. Akachukwu also urged the company to reconsider its policy on arrears payment, recommending more flexible options to ease the burden on consumers. (Saturday Sun)