Mayhem Averted In Anambra As Ugwuagba Residents Protest Exploitation By Enugu Discos

Major mayhem and wanton destruction of properties was averted yesterday in Anambra as residents of Ugwuagba Obosi expressed their grievances on the management of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (formerly PHCN) over crazy estimated billing system and exploitation of power consumers in the area.

The angry protesters chanting war songs and carrying placards had threatened to burn down the facilities at the office of the EEDC and cause mayhem in the streets  if not for the intervention of the executives of Ugwuagba Community Resident Power Consumers led by Marcel Ezenwa who prevailed on them to be law abiding.

The residents numbering over 3000 had converged near the popular old motor spare parts market yesterday morning to storm the EEDC offices in Ugwuagba and Ogidi business units over what they called their continuous suffering in the hands of the power distributors over the years.

Some of the placards they carried bore inscriptions like: “From NEPA to PHCN and now EEDC, all are the same wahala”, We need prepaid meters, EEDC not estimated hand bills anymore”, Out of 14 transformers in our area, Govt. gave us 2 while we paid for 12, why?”,  EEDC, you are not giving us light and yet force us to pay N6000, N7,000, N8000, no prepaid meters, no payment” etc.

Addressing the crowd, the Chairman of Ugwuagba Residents Power Consumers, Marcel Ezenwa flanked by other members of the executives like, Leonard Onah, Evang. Anayo Eze , Chinedu Njoku among others appealed to the protesters to be law abiding.

 Ezenwa alleged that the EEDC has been milking the people of the area dry through crazy estimated billing system, hoarding of pre paid meters and forcing them to pay for service charges of any repair work in the area.

They regretted that most small scale entrepreneurs and shopping centers in the area have closed down owing to erratic power supply while they are made to pay high bills monthly for electricity.

The protesters called on President Jonathan, Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo and Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano to prevail on the power distribution company to address the people’s suffering.

However, when the reporter called on the Public Relations Officer, Ogidi Business Unit of EEDC, Charles Okoli, he said he wasn’t aware of any protest. He urged any aggrieved consumers from the area to send a delegation to their office for deliberations and solution instead of embarking on protest.

Pix caption : Chairman, Ugwuagba Community Resident Power Consumers, Marcel Ezenwa  in a speech during public protest against exploitation from EEDC.

 Another side of the story

Tension in Onitsha over Electricity Distributors

Major protests erupted yesterday in Ugwuagba Layout, Obosi, Idemmili North local government area of Anambra state. They were protesting crazy bills without corresponding power supply in the state.

The protests would have been bloody but for the intervention of leaders of electricity consumers under the aegis of Community Residents PHCN Power Consumers that prevented them from extending their protest march Uguwagba office of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, (formerly, PHCN).

The protesters numbering over 3,000, conducted prayers, sang songs of praises and raised up their placards before their leaders came out one after the other to intimate them on their next planned encounter with EEDC officials.

Some of their placards read in part: "No more estimated bills. We need pre-paid meters", "Why N8,000, N7,000, N6,000, N5,000 estimated bills per head per month?. EEDC, you are killing us". "EEDC, the same old wine in a new bottle", "No pre-paid meters, no payment", "You are not giving us light and you are asking us to pay for what we did not consume".

Others read: “From NEPA to PHCN and now EEDC, all are the same wahala”, We need prepaid meters, EEDC not estimated hand bills anymore”, Out of 14 transformers in our area, Government gave us only two while we paid for 12, why?”,  Why should EEDC always ask us to contribute money for repairs of transformers or to buy oil for transformers and if we don't contribute, they will keep us in darkness for months and yet every month, they will for the bills?", among other inscriptions.

The aggrieved consumers had early yesterday converged on the popular Old Motor Parts Market, Ugwuagba to visit the EEDC's offices at Ugwuagba and Ogidi Business District, threatening to burn down every facility available in protest against what they considered as EEDC's crazy bills without corresponding power supply.

But when their leaders discovered that they were so aggrieved that there could be a breakdown of law and order and that they could actually embark on wanton destruction properties at EEDC office if allowed to visit, they directed that the protest march be cancelled out rightly so as to go about their normal businesses.

The chairman of the group, Marcel Ezenwa who addressed the members, said they will only pay N3,000 monthly as estimated bill until EEDC installs pre-paid meters in the area, adding that they would no longer allow EEDC officials to disconnect the area collectively.

Also in a petition to the Managing Director of EEDC, Enugu Zonal Headquarters, jointly signed on their behalf, by Ezenwa, chairman; Leonard Onah, vice-chairman; Evangelist Anayo Eze, coordinator; Ambrose Ikejiofor, secretary; Ikechukwu Ezerioha, PRO, among others, the consumers expressed their grievances against the EEDC management  over the crazy estimated billing system and exploitation of power consumers in the area.

 

 They alleged that the EEDC has been milking the people of the area dry through crazy estimated billing system, hoarding of pre-paid meters and forcing them to pay for service charges of any repair work in the area.

They regretted that most small scale entrepreneurs and shopping centers in the area have closed down owing to erratic power supply while they are made to pay high bills monthly for electricity.

They therefore called on President Goodluck Jonathan, Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo; Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano and the immediate governor, Chief Peter Obi to prevail on the power distribution company to address the peoples' suffering.

However, when the reporter called on the Public Relations Officer, Ogidi Business Unit of EEDC, Charles Okoli, he said he wasn’t aware of any protest. He urged any aggrieved consumers from the area to send a delegation to their office for deliberations and solution instead of embarking on protest.