ELECTRICITY CONSUMERS IN AWKA LAMENT PHASE OUT OF STAND ALONE PREPAID METRES BY EEDC

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, (EEDC) on 1 January, 2020 embarked on a new measure to phase out the pioneer Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN)’s prepaid metres, also known as Stand alone metres.

The implementation of this policy came to customers unexpectedly as they claimed that there were no media campaigns and sensitization to inform them of the new project.

Radio Nigeria captured the mood of some electricity consumers in Awka who lamented their losses as a result of the initiative.

EEDC customers unexpectedly beheld a notice of migration of those on Standalone metres to its integrated billing system at the Awka office on first January.

The statement hinged its decision on the inability of EEDC to provide support to the metres due to obsolete technology, which had forced it to stop vending credit tokens with effect from 1 January, 2020.

By this order, all customers on Standalone metres were to be changed from prepaid to postpaid option.

All such old prepaid metres are to be decommissioned and migrated to estimated billing, while the affected customers are to apply for new ones through Meter Asset Provider (MAP) as well as pay before they could be installed.

Customers, who had been besieging EEDC Awka office since 1st January, were unhappy that they could not recharge, as the action threw them into darkness.

They also lamented economic losses suffered in their businesses and at home, coupled with the huge amount to be spent in procuring new metres as against the policy of replacing them.

A Pastor, Dr. Matthew Akhigbe, who spoke with Radio Nigeria at EEDC office Awka, expressed unhappiness over the development.

Dr. Akhigbe said a customer oriented company would take time to inform its clients before implementing such a decision, which had negative consequences on economic activities.

Mr. Felix Mogbo, who resides at Obunagu Village Awka, observed that the action of EEDC was frustrating.

Also, Mr. Moses Ubadi from Mbaukwu in Awka South LGA, explained that he had applied for three metres since June, which had not been delivered.

He described the latest action of EEDC as disappointing and called for immediate measures from government to save electricity consumers from economic monopoly.

NDU NWANNA