ENUGU EAST TAKES IT TURN IN A PUBLIC HEARING IN ENUGU

The Enugu State House of Assembly Committee investigating alleged excesses of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC has demanded from the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission to provide it with approved electricity tariff as a result of conflicting bill method in the area.

The Deputy Speaker of the House, Chief Don Uzogbado made the demand at a public hearing organised for the people of Enugu East Senatorial District over alleged fraudulent bills by the company in the State. The House had earlier organized public hearing for Enugu North and Enugu West Senatorial Districts.

This followed incessant complaints, by electricity consumers over alleged high bills, harassment, fraudulent smart meters, bulk metering and estimated bill in the area. The Deputy Speaker of the House Chief Don Uzogbado who is also the Chairman of the special committee explained that the demand follows the committees’ discovery of discrepancies in some of the bills that should ordinary have the same tariff plan.

Chief Uzogbado restated the readiness of the committee to investigate the matter to a logical conclusion as he claimed that many private business in the state were winding up as a result of their inability to pay electricity bills. A widow, Mrs Anthonia Adinde who claimed she lived alone at Abakpa Nike said she received over one hundred thousand naira bill every month.

The House Committee Chairman on information, Chief Paul Nnajiofor who spoke on the behalf of other representatives from the area condemned the alleged re-calibration of meters and extortion by officials of the company. The hearing was attended by all the Caretaker Chairmen in the state, community based organizations and traditional rulers from the area including Igwe Julius Nnaji of Nike.

OLIVER OSAAI