Onitsha electricity consumers decry outrageous bills

• threaten protest against EEDC
• call for revocation of DISCOS’ licenses

By Chuks Eke

Electricity consumers in Onitsha, the Anambra State commercial hub have decried the continued crazy and outrageous bills being chinned out to them by the authorities of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC.

Speaking through the Human Rights Liberty Access and Peace Defenders’ Foundation, HURIDE, the consumers told newsmen shortly after their general meeting in Onitsha and environs yesterday, said they have been groaning under the unabated EEDC outrageous bills without anything being done to address their plight.

The Executive Director of HURIDE, Dede Uzor A Uzor, in a press statement on behalf of the consumers said flats of three-bedroom apartments pay between M15,000 to N20,000 every month as electricity bills, accusing 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 prepaid metres which have made those using the metres equally pay outrageous bills.

Even in the face of all these, said the consumers, EEDC does not supply them power and they were 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” HURIDE said.

They 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.

“We are calling on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency, 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. Dede Uzor cautioned.