State secretariat in darkness


Govt marks power firm’s office for demolition

By Steve Uzoechi


Following the inability of the Imo State Gov- ernment to defray its over N200 million indebtedness to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), the electricity power provider has disconnected all power supplies to the Imo State Government House and state secretariat.

Angered by the disconnection, the state government has commenced moves to demolish the EEDC office in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
A visit by our corre spondent to the Owerri District Headquarters of the EEDC along Royce road, Owerri yesterday revealed that the office was marked for demolition last Friday. The inscription on the wall of the building read: “To be demolished. Remove within 7 days, by IMSG.”

The spokesman of the EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, confirmed the disconnection to New Telegraph, while adding that it was not the intention of the company to make the disconnection a media issue, as efforts were still being made to get the state government to do the needful. He, however, regretted that EEDC is already aware that their office in Owerri has been marked by the state government for demolition.

“We suffer all manner of bashing from the public once our services falter. Now, how can we optimally render qualitative service when key stakeholders who use our services refuse to pay?

“The state also takes care of the bills of the Imo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (ISOPADEC) communities and for a long time now those communities in Oguta and Ohaji Egbema have also been disconnected because their bills have not been settled.

And these bills are heavy and no company can continue to operate under such huge deficit. We are still open to any discussion that can ameliorate the situation for all concerned.”

One of the indigenes of Ejemekwuru in Oguta, Benson Obiefule, told our correspondent that the community has not experienced any power supply in the last five years due to indebtedness to EEDC and the inability of ISOPADEC to pay their bills as agreed. Reacting to the development, Mr. Mark Uchendu, the Commissioner for Public Utilities said he is aware of the power issues with the EEDC, but maintained that the core problem is one of reconciliation.

“The figures are exaggerated. I am sorting out the documents and what we need to do is to sit down with EEDC and reconcile the actual indebtedness of the government.

“I am aware that sometime last year, the governor (Rochas Okorocha) paid EEDC about N200 million for power supply, so all we need to do now is reconcile and agree on whether we need to balance the EEDC any outstanding or not.

”On the disconnection of government facilities and offices, Uchendu said that power supply in Government House is no longer their major concern, but noted that the festering blackout in the state secretariat was a major concern to the state.

“The disconnection of the state secretariat is a major issue for us. We need to also reconcile that because the bill of over N45 million EEDC brought for the secretariat appears rather inflated to us because prepaid meters are used there,” the commissioner said.

Uchendu regretted that the ISOPADEC communities in Oguta and Ohaji Egbema were also in darkness due to indebtedness to EEDC, but added that it was the responsibility of ISOPADEC to defray the debt from their 13% derivation. “It is not the direct responsibility of government to pay the electricity bills of Oguta and Ohaji Egbema. The commission does that,” he said.

https://newtelegraphonline.com/2018/07/disco-disconnects-imo-govt-house-over-n200m-debt/

okoracha give them one statue

What a useless country.

I wander why a state of emergency can't be declared in the power sector,I was in ago-iwoye for 4 days last month,I didn't enjoy power supply for 1 minute throughout my stay there.


Nigeria is a failed state

So Rochas have so mismanaged the resources of the state that now he can't pay even electricity bills but instead resorting to threat? This another sign of cluelessness.

so rochas no dey pay light bill?

.. discos don disconnect wen will HipHop dissconnect iz own

IMO the home of St..........

So, how's that my business

PHCN or whatever their names are should be disbanded. Nigeria should open up her power sector to investors. We can't continue like this.

EEDC should just buy Tippers and bulldozer, and register their company as a construction company. they are so useless. Even their name suggests that they should be distributing sands not light

Okoroawusa is clueless..

From government house to Ejemekwuru. Propaganda news as usual. However it's true we've not had public power at Oguta in particular for 6 years or more.

Nobody owes nepa bills like government institutions

I know say Aso Rock go dey owe but fear go dey catch nepa to disconnect them

and Roche's okoroawusa is busy organising campaign come and chop party for dullard buhari

And governor Rochas can build statue of over #500 million of a foreigner

Omololu2121:
What a useless country.

I wander why a state of emergency can't be declared in the power sector,I was in ago-iwoye for 4 days last month,I didn't enjoy power supply for 1 minute throughout my stay there.


Nigeria is a failed state

Nigeria is a country.

Omololu2121:
What a useless country.

I wander why a state of emergency can't be declared in the power sector,I was in ago-iwoye for 4 days last month,I didn't enjoy power supply for 1 minute throughout my stay there.


Nigeria is a failed state

you suppose praise God that you even saw a minute light

Omololu2121:
What a useless country.

I wander why a state of emergency can't be declared in the power sector,I was in ago-iwoye for 4 days last month,I didn't enjoy power supply for 1 minute throughout my stay there.


Nigeria is a failed state

it's terrible

Now they disconnected the govt house, there should be excess power to give imolites but nothing, so what's the need of the disconnecting the govt house?

Abagworo:
From government house to Ejemekwuru. Propaganda news as usual. However it's true we've not had public power at Oguta in particular for 6 years or more.

I expected this from you, so I am not surprised

Am from kuvuki land

where is the light you didn't give regularlylight and you want poor citizens to pay

where is the light you didn't give regularly light and you want poor citizens to pay

Hmmmm

They looted to an extent where they can't afford to pay their own bills.....

Hahahahaha

Yeye people n country!
The Gov will just keep running on diesel Gen until the expiration of his tenure

nice 1 there

Typical d1ck move common with Nigerian politics. You're offered service by an institution and required to pay for their services. You won't pay up and they stop rendering their service to you until you pay up but no you still won't pay up but you take money and start up a campaign against the person you owe to show them you have more power over them.

signed 1959

Marked for demolition,remove within 7days. Do they want EEDC to carry the building on their head?

Very common with state houses of assembly.

Lol! This country na real comedy

I am paying my bills as a person, why won't Okorocha pay the one of Imo state government house? EEDC is a private business not a charity organisation though EEDC hmmm.....