EEDC High tariff: Traders , Residents protest in Ekwulobia

www.odogwublog.com reports that hundreds of traders and residents in Ekwulobia under the auspices of Ekwulobia Traders and Allied Workers Association (ETAWA) led by its President , Hon Ebere Nnopu yesterday literally shut down vehicular and human traffic temporarily in a peaceful protest of ‘killer bills’ and non provision of pre-paid meters by the Enugu Electircity Distribution Company (EEDC) in Ekwulobia, Aguata local governmnet area.

The Placard carrying peaceful protesters marched on Ekwulobia to Oko axis before proceeding to the EEDC office in Ekwulobia with placards with inscription ‘’Attention Sir Emeka Offor’’, ‘’Help the poor masses EEDC’’, ‘’Give us Prepaid meter’’, ‘’Non-Indigenes need pre-paid metter’’.

Other inscriptions were ‘’Ekwulobia traders need pre-paid meter’’, ‘’Give us good electricity supply’’, ‘’ Is Ekwulobia different from other towns?

The traders had wanted to block all the roads and close all the shops but the intervention of the ETAWA leadership led by Hon Ebere Nnopu to avoid  a complete logjam in the community as the town serves as an exit route to other states prevailed. 

At the EEDC, the President of  Ekwulobia Traders and Allied Workers Association (ETAWA), Hon Ebere Nnopu who presented the grievances of the traders and residents regretted the exorbitant bills (Killer bills) without commensurate electricity supply, lack of pre-paid meter to consumers and inconsiderate billings at other times as well as complete absence of electricity supply.

Nnopu said the traders and residents are tired of the economic sabotage in the name of estimated bills by the EEDC as so many of their members who utilize electricity have been rendered jobless and could measure up with their responsibilities again, appealing to the Ekwulobia EEDC Network Acting manager, Engr Kama Ogbonna Kanu to resolve the issues that warranted their peaceful protest.

Responding, the Ekwulobia EEDC Network Acting manager, Engr Kama Ogbonna Kanu assured that their grievances would be attended to but explained that the low energy supply from EEDC was not their fault as they distribute only the electricity made available to them by the generating and transmission firms.

While reasoning with the peaceful protesters, Engr Kanu informed them that efforts have reached advanced stage for te pre paid meters to arrive as no stone has been left un-turned since he arrived Ekwulobia. He said after the upgrade at the 30KVA at Nibo to 60 KVA , before the end of this year, energy supply would be regular nd better.

He said the bills were not crazy, killer or by whatever name the consumers ascribed it  but that the bills were shared based on energy provided at any particular feeder by the Generating and Transmission organs and that they have no option than to share it to the users of the feeder, whether the person used the energy or not once the bill has been established at a particular feeder.

He urged them to fish out those using electricity without meters to reduce the suffering even as he alleged that 70 percent of residents of Ekwulobia are not sincere with their bills status, hence they should be exposed.

Initially, the protesters  were not allowed entrance into the EEDC office but were later ushered in before the Ekwulobia DPO Oluwadare Ayeni led his team of 5 police Hilux Vans to the scene and provided security to avoid the protest from degenerating.