
By Amaka Olua
The Residents of Orumba South and North L.G.A in Anambra State have protested over the alleged high rate of NEPA bills being imposed on them by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) even when the Company does not supply electricity.
One of the Residents, Mr Emmanuel Ifezuo who spoke to Fides, lamented that the intimidation of the EEDC was getting out of hand, saying that the bills they charged them every month was outrageous, He added that EEDC used to charge them Two Hundred and fifty Thousand Naira or Three Hundred Thousand Naira from their Transformers, then getting to this January, they brought a bill of one million Two Hundred and fifty Thousand Naira, which resulted each flat to be paying Fifteen thousand Naira every month. He noted that the community has witnessed total black out since 24th December 2018, till date, saying that the Community had agreed on paying one thousand naira EEDC bills every month or else they should cut them off power supply since its of no use to them due to poor power supply in the area. He noted that they has reached an agreement with the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company for install pre-paid Meters to them to enable them pay as used, saying that they can’t be paying for what they did not enjoy Yet they would bring very high bill at the end of the month. I don’t know if we are paying darkness, because you cannot come and collect payment for service you did not render.
Another Resident of the Area, Mr Hillary okoro, stated that the EEDC bill being imposed on them was too much, saying how can they be paying ten or fifteen thousand naira every month considering that they are in a rural area. He added that last year November 2018, the EEDC asked them to a pay certain amount of money in order to enjoy full power supply during the festive period which they paid and still yet they did not see power supply since 24th December 2018 till date and they kept imposing bills on them every month when their will be no power supply. He maintained that each time they moved round to collect EEDC bills from the community, the people always had it in mind that they were extorting money from them for their personal use, saying that after the payment there will not be power supply.
This was even as he said they have an agreement with EEDC to reduce the amount of bills being imposed on them. He maintained that the reluctance of the company to install pre-paid meters for consumers was deliberate, alleging that they did that in order to continue to issue bogus bills by estimation to customers.
The residents of Orumba South during thier Protest at the EEDC office.