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Nigerians lament VAT deduction on recharges for prepaid metres

Nigerians have started complaining about the N750 VAT that is usually deducted for their prepaid metres. In this interview with ENCOMIUM Weekly, they lament that even when they are power outages, they still pay VAT.

 

ORIYOMI HAKEEM (RIE Avenue, Gardol Street)

One can only enjoy the prepaid metre if only light is stable and also if you are the only one using it. In my own case, I and nine other neighbours use it together because I stay in a face-me-I-face-you. The only difference is that everyone is learned, that is why we don’t have much problem.

The Value Added Tax (VAT) is something to worry about because as I’m taking to you now, the light in my area is not stable. For close to 4 weeks, they didn’t even flash it. They only brought it last week and it didn’t even last 30 minutes and we will still pay VAT for this month that we didn’t enjoy light.

 

EZEM JOY (Kaje Street, Obawole)

The VAT issue is very annoying because even the month you don’t recharge, you will still have to pay VAT. But one thing I don’t understand now is whether they’ve stopped deducting it because the last time I recharged for my house in February, I recharged N1,500 and they gave me card worth N1,500 without removing the VAT.

I just think they are not piling it till when I’ll recharge big money because when I recharged for the shop where I work last December, they still removed Vat for November and December which is N750 each and gave me N4,500 out of the N6,000 I paid.

 

HASSAN KEJI

I wouldn’t have found it painful if only light is stable. But in a case where you enjoy light for one month and the following month, you don’t see light and they will remove the VAT for that month, it’s so annoying.

 

EMEKA ALLOY (Ogba Bus stop)

The issue of prepaid metre in this country is getting worse. How would you expect us not to use light and still pay VAT for what we don’t use. If I buy N2,000 card on my prepaid metre, I will pay 750 for Value Added Tax (VAT) and if I don’t recharge for some month, I will still pay for that month.

Assuming it’s three months, if I now go to pay four month later, they will still deduct the three months VAT. I think we should be using the light the way we use it before, normal metre not prepaid.

 

OLOFINYOKUN IYABO (IKORODU)

The issue of prepaid metre, I don’t even know what to say about it. If I pay N2,000 they will deduct N750 and it will remain N1,250 on your prepaid metre. Some months now that we are not given constant light, I don’t recharge because I still have credit on it but if I want to go and pay for it, they will still calculate the months together and deduct it.

 

ELSHINLOYE SULIAMON (Ikorodu)

I really like prepaid metre if there is light but the problem is, we are not using constant light and we are still paying the VAT. It is not an easy thing. For me to be paying for what I don’t use, I think Fashola should do something about this.

 

IBRAHIM ISIAKA (Ayede, Ifo, Ogun State)

This situation of prepaid metre is not the only problem on ground. What about the crazy bills they bring every month. We spend money on what we don’t use. Now the prepaid metre is now costlier. The one phase that was sold N25,000 now N39,000. The phase that was sold N50,000 is now N60,969 – and we voted for change. Only God that can come to our rescue.

 

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Mr. Ajisafe Akanni (Iju Ishaga)

We don’t have any prepaid metre in our house and they have been carrying rumour that the president said, if you have not been given prepaid metre after six months, you should not pay any PHCN bills again. Now if you want to collect the prepaid metre, you will have to pay more than N20,000, which is not supposed to be so.

We have been paying crazy bills on what we don’t use and if you fail to pay, they will disconnect your light. It is only the president that can settle this matter and find a solution to it.

 

Adeniyi Adeyemi (Jumofaq, Bus Stop, Ikorodu)

We have not been given any prepaid metre. Even in my house and my shop, prepaid metre has not been given. The prepaid metre we are talking about is now costlier and scarcer. Before, one phase of prepaid metre is N25,000 but now it has increased to N39,375, also the three phase metre which now goes for N60,000 was N50,000 before and we are in era of change.

If the president does not find solution to this issue, the bills they are bringing will cause many things because we are paying for what we are not using.

 

ADEYINKA OLANIHUN (Ifelodun, Ile Epo, Oke Odo, Lagos)

It has been some months now that Bubari assumed office and before he became the president, he said in his campaign that there will be free prepaid metre. When he became the president, he said they should be giving free prepaid matre and any house that has not been given should not pay any electricity bill and they should not cut off the wire. But now we have not been given prepaid metre and we have been paying crazy bills for the supply we don’t enjoy. Government should find lasting solution to third problem.

 

ZAKARIYAHU RAFIU (Obawole, Ogba, Lagos)

I don’t even believe in what he’s saying, because out of all things he promised to do, I have not seen any work he has done. As usual, I will find a way to pay for the prepaid metre N39,397. It has been increase because of change in dollars. I don’t know that metre’s too increase when dollars increase. Even if you don’t pay for the prepaid metre, the huge bill will kill people and if you don’t pay, they will cut your wire and this is the change we have voted for? It’s only God that can save this country.

-SHUKURAT ALIMI and AZEEZAT KAREEM

Encomium

Written by Encomium

A media, tech and events company.

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