EEDC ON FIRE AS IMO COMMUNITY PROTESTS OUTRAGEOUS BILLING SYSTEM

Reporter : JOSHUA OBIALO

The people of Umueledi in Old Umuahia, Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State have staged a peaceful protest against the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) over what they described as Crazy Estimated Billing.

In an interview with Radio Nigeria, the Chairman of Umueledi village Old Umuahia, Comrade Stanley Onyemachi, lamented that EEDC had in recent times skyrocketed their bills, which were outrageously beyond what they could afford.

He said EEDC brought estimated bills of more than thirty thousand naira per building, including a single shop.

Comrade Onyemachi pointed out that the people frowned on outrageous bills and wrote letters to EEDC, Commissioner of Police, AIG Zone 9 and the National Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC which is the national regulating body of electricity, but nothing changed.

According to Comrade Onyemechi, the community paid seven hundred thousand naira to EEDC on wednesday last week but the same EEDC came Monday this week attempting to disconnect their light, which the community resisted.

The Chairman of Umueledi said they therefore embarked on peaceful protest after notifying the police, to demand prepaid meter from EEDC based on carping order for them to be paying the real bill, adding that EEDC should wipe out all the accumulated crazy bills.

When contacted, the Feeder Manger of EEDC, Ubakala Service Centre, Mr. John Ohuabunna, declined comments.

However, the Police Piblic Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abia State, Mr. Geoffrey Ogbonna said he was informed of the development but advised the people do things lawfully.

The people carried placards with inscriptions : “End EEDC, “We say no to estimated billing,” and “End estimated crazy billing, among other crazy.