Abia Residents Protest Estimated Billing Of Electricity

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has faced protests from Umuahia locals over the usage of estimated billing for electricity use.
They bemoaned the fact that despite investing in transformers and other accessories to guarantee a consistent power supply, this is still taking place. Additionally, they sought pre-paid meters and rapid resolution of their complaints and fault reports, offering to speed up the payment of their certified consumed bills in the event that their demands were granted.

They talked at the EEDC’s resumed public event in Umuahia that was dubbed “Informative, educative, and interactive engagement.” Residents claimed that they were not being well-served despite their desire to access authority and take action.

“We pay bills, but others enjoy the service, we get light for less than three hours in a month. Due to estimated billing, no building in the World Bank Estate is billed less than N300,000.00.”

“In another area, it was reported that a transformer donated by a politician has been awaiting installation, because the residents were asked to pay N4 million.
Also, Curator of the National War Museum Umuahia, Mrs. Evelyn Osuagwu, said her application for replacement of their pre-paid metre, destroyed by thunderstorm has not been attended to since 2021.

Addressing the residents, the EEDC’s Head of Communications, Emeka Eze, debunked the notion that the company was responsible for power outages, stressing that EEDC business is limited to distribution of the electricity generated and transmitted by others.

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He said for steady and ideal services provision, adequate power must be made available from the generation and transmission sources, while consumers must pay accordingly.

Also, Uju Okafor of the EEDC Consumer Services Department, faulted some customers for not seeking information from outside the company staff or designated employees.

She urged customers to always file their complaints and fault reports officially and use the evidence to follow-up, through WhatsApp lines, email, direct telephone calls, including designated whistle- blowing alternatives.

In his remarks, Head of Health, Safety and Environment, Dr Francis Iwu, warned against erecting buildings and planting trees under high tension cables, illegal/un-professional connections, and disconnections, not switching off gadgets after power outages and not reporting promptly when faults develop.

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