₦airaland Forum

Residents of IyiowaOdekpe community in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State have protested what they described as “outrageous estimated billings”, “extortion” and “weeks of power outage” in the hands of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company.

The EEDC, which is responsible for the distribution of power in the South-East states of Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi, is being accused of operating like a “mafia organization”, alleging systematic extortion and intimidation for several months.

The community members alleged that the EEDC gives the community estimated monthly billing of over N80,000, which they said is more than the minimum monthly wage.

The aggrieved community members, who staged a peaceful protest on Monday carried placards with various inscriptions such as: “EEDC’s disconnection of our power for three weeks is an attempt to cow us into submission”, “Over 80 per cent of residents disconnected have prepaid meters”, “N80,000 monthly electricity bill is unaffordable”, and “There is a monthly cap from NERC – stop the overbilling now!”


They demanded the immediate provision of prepaid meters, the cancellation of accumulated “ridiculous arrears” resulting from inflated bills, and the restoration of electricity supply.

Speaking to South-East Punch, the Chairman of the IyiowaOdekpe Landlords and Tenants Association, Chief Sunday Obinze, decried the hardship imposed on the community by EEDC.

Obinze said, “The EEDC disconnected the entire community from power on the grounds that residents were indebted, even though over 80 per cent of consumers use prepaid meters.


“We are being exploited, extorted and intimidated. We cannot pay these outrageous bills, and no amount of intimidation will cow us into submission.

“The bills sent to postpaid users range between N80,000 and N130,000 monthly. How much is Nigeria’s minimum wage? How do you expect a civil servant to pay N100,000 for electricity in one month?”

Obinze noted that the community previously paid between N18,000 and N28,000 monthly before the recent billing surge.

He noted that based on information from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, the billing cap for their category should be around N31,000 per month—a figure the community is willing to pay.

“We are low-income earners and cannot afford bills of N80,000 to N130,000. EEDC is simply exploiting and intimidating us,” he added.


The Secretary of the association, DrOkolieChukwunonso, also echoed Obinze’s sentiments, adding, “The excessive billing is worsening the economic hardship in the area. Our complaints to EEDC about the inflated bills were ignored, and instead, the company retaliated by cutting off power supply in the entire community.

“EEDC is behaving like a ‘mafia group’. They should listen to our pleas. Most of the residents are poor and cannot fight back. It’s unthinkable that a community where over 80 per cent of consumers use prepaid meters would be completely disconnected over alleged debts.”


Chukwunonso called on NERC to intervene and properly regulate EEDC to prevent further suffering of ordinary residents.

“Our community has a population of about 80,000, mostly petty traders, farmers, and civil servants and wondered how they can pay these kinds of bills,” he added.

Another resident, Joyce Mbakwe, condemned the power disconnection, calling it “unjust”, adding, “They cut our light without notice, and many of us use prepaid meters. We wrote to EEDC, but they ignored us.”

She urged EEDC to provide prepaid meters to all residents to ensure individuals pay according to their usage. “The bills for postpaid users are outrageous. Most people here are struggling to survive,” she added.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Electricity Committee in the community, UgochukwuUgwueje, described EEDC’s billing practice as exploitative.

“How can someone be billed N120,000 for one month and the company claims it’s doing us a favor? Some postpaid users now owe as much as N300,000 to N400,000 due over billings. We urge the EEDC to revert to previous billing levels to avoid a full-blown crisis,” he added.

The protesters, therefore, called for urgent intervention by the government and regulatory bodies to ensure fair billing, provision of prepaid meters, and restoration of electricity.


However, when contacted on the development, the Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC, EmekaEzeh, noted the concerns, while stating that, “EEDC always try to ensure that we serve our customers efficiently and where there are issues, they are dealt with.

“The challenge of power supply is a national concern and not peculiar to EEDC or the South East region. So, let’s not paint it as if it is only obtainable within the South East. EEDC as the distribution company responsible for the region is doing everything possible within its means to provide and deliver quality service to its customers.

“It is also important to note that the business of power supply does not begin and end with EEDC. There are other players that need to work together to see that EEDC serves its customers efficiently and where that does not happen, it will definitely impact on the quality of service EEDC provides to its customers,” he added.

jlo247:
You are not alone on top this one

Tonygeesm:
Anambra pays higher in everything in this country

Jughead29:
Light bill should be nothing more than N5000 let's be realistic.... Considering the fact that minimum wage is just N70k (for the few) majority earn far less than that Haba

Which way is this country heading to

Ironfaceman:
The EEDC like other power disco company in Nigeria are mad

People are just paying for darkness in this country.

EEDC staff need military treatment, I mean. Enuf beating.

nairalanda1:
The fact is, most of the country is underpaying your local disco.

It costs N160-170 to make one unit of electricty. Band A consumers are the only ones who pay above that, and they form less than 20% of consumers and not all of them pay

Most of the country pays subsided bills. And at least 37% do not pay anything naitionwide, or drastically underpay, or bypass their meter...because 'we are poor'.

THat means discos lose money. And thus cannot provide you with improved service, or attract investment that would bring in improved service.

nairalanda1:
Yeah electricity is expensive

They better pay up


And yeah, f*** APC. You don't have to support apc to realize that we don't have light because most customers refuse to pay in the name.of poverty. Thus the sector loses money and can't attract investment.


That I said the above does not mean I support corruption or that I support estimated billing

Modified


It annoys me when people quote me on power to say things like 'NIGERIANS ARE POOR' etc, etc. YES I KNOW THAT. But at the end, the stuff we need for 24 hours a day power is not going to be given to us free of charge.

dequir:
Nairaland tax bandi t on the prowl again.

Tax them till dey kpai, that's his mantra.

Ironfaceman:
You have said your own side.

Now can you go to a restaurant, after eating, they add 3 or more customers bill to yours and ask you to pay. Will you pay.

With prepaid meter there's no need for subsidy crap..

Why people have apathy for discos is( NEPA)
Not Enough Power Always.

nairalanda1:
So, if most of your customers were underpaying you, you go have business?

Better answer me


Truth is very bitter.

Plus discos don't collect taxes, son.

Chucks13:
May I ask why its Enugu supplying Anambra and other SE state? Can't those state created their own power station or what?

Every state should do all it takes to independently get their own power station to avoid conflicting stories.