Reps pass bill to criminalise estimated billing – TheNigerialawyer

The House of Representatives on Thursday passed three bills
sponsored by the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, one of which seeks to
criminalise estimated billing of electricity consumers by
distribution companies.

When the proposed law is concurred with by the Senate and
assented to by the President, it will become criminal for service
providers to issue estimated bills, also known as ‘crazy bills’,
issuance of which 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 prepaid meter to an applicant within 30 days, while barring
the DISCOs from disconnecting the consumer after the 30-day period
within which meter should be installed.

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

The bill is entitled, ‘A bill for an act to amend the electric
power sector reforms Act to prohibit and criminalise estimated
billing by electricity distribution companies and provide for
compulsory installation of pre-paid meters to all power consumers
in Nigeria and other related matters.’

Leading the debate on the bill, Gbajabiamila condemned the
DISCOs for whimsically issuing estimated bills on a monthly
basis.

“This billing is not known by any scientific rule,” he
stated.

The House also passed a bill seeking to to make Federal
Government ministries, departments and agencies reserve 20 per cent
of job slots for persons living with disabilities.

It is entitled, “A bill for an act to provide that 20 per cent
of jobs available in all Federal Government ministries,
departments, agencies and companies be distributed amongst the
physically challenged persons in Nigeria and for other matters
connected thereto.’

Another bill passed was one seeking to create a bank that grants
interest-free loans to students of tertiary institutions in the
country.

The bill is entitled, ‘A bill for an act to provide easy access
to higher education for Nigerians through interest-free loans
Nigerian Education Bank established in this act with a view to
providing education for all Nigerians.’

The bill stated that the provision of the proposed law shall
apply to all matters pertaining to the application and grant of
loans to Nigerians seeking admission into institutions of higher
learning in Nigeria through the Nigerian Education Bank.