Abia Civil Society Network (ACSON) has issued Enugu Electricity
Distribution Company (EEDC) a 21- day ultimatum to provide consumers
with constant electricity in Abia State or lose their services in the
state.
The Network, comprising 14 civil society groups in Abia State, in a
communique issued after its meeting called on both the state and federal
governments to urgently resolve any issue undermining the take-off of
Geometric Power Generating/ Distribution Company, Aba.
ACSON identified some of the inefficiencies of EEDC to include its
inability to fix dysfunctional facilities; harrassment and intimidation
of consumers with security operatives during revenue drives ,which
grossly violates the consumers human rights; EEDC’s inability to provide
Abia consumers with pre- paid metres- which has led to what the group
describes as fraudulant and exorbitant billing system; disconnection of
consumers despite evidence of payment of bills.
Others are carting away of electric cables which contravenes the Nigeria
Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Act; unbearable and
exploitaive billing system unleashed on the rural communities which are
populated by peasant farmers, despite low consumption of power in those
areas.
According to the group, epileptic power supply in Abia State, especially
Aba, the commercial- hub of the state has adversely affected the
economic power base and production strength of the state.
The group therefore demands that EEDC should henceforth take up the
responsibility of fixing their dysfunctional facilities and desist from
harrassing and intimidating Abia electricity consumers with security
operatives when on revenue drive; and also provide Abia consumers with
pre- paid metres.
ACSON called on the consumers to cease paying electricity bills until
EEDC provides them with pre- paid metres or an appropriate and lawful
billing system is instituted; cease paying electricity bills if they are
denied power for two weeks or periods when their facilities such as
transformers were dysfunctional as stipulated by the NERC Act.
It also threatened to seek redress in the law court to remedy the gross injustice meted-out on the Abia consumers by EEDC.
