Anambra community threatens to shut EEDC facility in Awka

 

Maduako Igbokwe l Tuesday, October 25, 2022

 

AWKA, Anambra, Nigeria – Umuawulu Community in  Awka South local government council of   Anambra state has threatened to shut down  Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) office Awka, if it refuses to restore supply in the community within two weeks.

In a letter to EEDC by the Umuawulu Electricity Consumers Forum (UECF)  jointly signed by  coordinator/ convener Comrade Osita Obi and secretary Anazor Kingsley Onyebuchi , copied to state Commissioner of Police and the Director-General, Department of State Security (DSS) Anambra command, the  community demanded for immediate restoration of electricity supply having concluded  the de-bulking process.

According to the letter, the community has settled all  indebtedness to the EEDC and met all the necessary conditions for the de-bulking of  six transformers in the area.

“Enumeration and verifications have also been concluded for all  the six  transformers . Electricity consumers in the communities have paid for the meters, some installed while some are yet to be installed ” it stated . It added that  the  debulking process was completed in February 2022 when the last verification exercise was done.

The  letter further stated that the community having completed all the process of debulking , indigenes  demand for  immediate restoration of electricity supply to all the transformers that have concluded de- bulking.

In the letter, the community stated that after two weeks of the reception of the demand letter and if  EEDC fails to energise those transformers that have completed debulking process, they shall mobilise the consumers to occupy EEDC office Awka until it restore electricity to Umuawulu community.

Speaking on the restoration, Obi said that EEDC is  suppose to render Service and  not to exploit the citizens.  According to him, the condition for debulking was to pay all outstanding bills and they have paid all requirement.

He said that , EEDC demanded the community to  pay 70 percent out  of the total bill’s, and they have paid sum worth over N22 million.

“There is no electrical installation in community provided by EEDC . The community bought everything. The community has about six MD metres transformers. The old indebtedness was about N39m but EEDC said it was doing promo and gave us  discount of 30 percent and that has been done” he said.

According to him, after the debulking the community   decided to go for metres and  paid for  29 and   14  were brought while only   nine were  installed. He said that after two weeks, the community will mobilise over 2000 people to shut down EEDC office.

According to him, the community has  written to the  police and DSS about the development. “EEDC only inherited asset from NEPA but refuse to inherit liability. The money  paid for the debulking were  inherited from NEPA” he said

Reacting, Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC,Emeka Ezeh said the company has  energized the transformers that met required conditions

“The community in question took us to NERC and the resolution was that they should acquire meters through MAP. Some have complied and they  have had their meters installed and installation is still ongoing.

“We have also energized the transformer that met with the conditions, which is to obtain undertaking from individual customers that are not able to pay for meters, to connect them and bill them on estimation, while those not willing to be on estimation will request to be disconnected” he said.