Awka
Residents of Onitsha have raised alarm over alleged importation and installation of fast reading metres which have made those with prepaid metres pay outrageous bills.
The residents who are accusing the Enugu Electricity Distribution Complicity, EEDC of extorting them, are those living in Fegge, Okpoko, Odoakpu, Awada, Nkpor, Omagba, In-land town, 3-3 among others.
The residents disclosed this after their general meeting in Onitsha and environs on Wednesday in Onitsha.
Speaking through a rights activist, Dede Uzor, the consumers regretted that despite their groaning under the unabated EEDC outrageous bills, nothing has been done since they started complaining to address their plight.
According to Uzor, who is the Executive Director of Human Rights Liberty Access and Peace Defenders’ Foundation (HURIDE), flats of three-bedroom apartments pay between M15,000 to N20,000 every month as bills.
He accused the EEDC of secretly increasing electricity tariffs contrary to that of the regulatory agency, the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
“The Onitsha consumers also accused EEDC of importing and installing fast reading metres which have made those with prepaid metres equally pay outrageous bills.
“Even in the face of all these, EEDC does not supply us power and we are made to carry out every repair and replace damaged items like transformers, cables, G&P, oil and other items.
“Even with all these high tariffs, we face blackout on daily basis. And we learnt there is enough power but they don’t want to supply us so that they can make a huge profit to take care of the large appetite of their masters,” the HURIDE boss said.
He said with the hopeless situation of things, the best option is for the Federal Government to cancel the licences of Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOS) and democratise the licensing so that there can be competition.
He said; “We are calling on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgent importance revoke the license of EEDC since they have failed to provide light to the people of the South East, rather they have been extorting the people through outrageous bills.”
They also threatened to mobilise electricity consumers in the South East, who they said they believe are suffering the same fate to protest against EEDC and their masters.
Meanwhile, when contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the EEDC, Emeka Eze explained that the company does not deploy meters to customers, saying they are provided by meter providers approved by regulators.
He explained that what the meters are reading are what the customers are consuming, advising that the consumers imbibe energy management habits.
On the issue of EEDC leaving their damaged facilities for people to replace or procure new ones, Eze urged anyone who has spent personal money to procure such, to apply with the company for refund.
