Alphonsus Nweze
The Landlords and Residents of Okpoko in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State have vowed to drag the Eastern Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) to court of National Electricity Regulation Company (NERC).
The residents who gathered at Onitsha Holiday Resort on Monday over the matter decried the oppressive, outrageous and overestimated billing system ranging from N20, 000 to N40, 000 per house.
“Unfortunately, a house have up to two to four bills distributed per month,” they lamented.
The chairman of Okpoko Concerned Landlords Association Electricity Committee comprising Okpoko and Mkpikpa, Chief Sir Christian Achonye, who addressed the association on their investigations about the alleged dubious activities and extortion of EEDC in Ogbaru and adjoining communities warned EEDC staff to stop entering and coming to the their houses to carry out any services that are not in conformity with NERC regulations.
“We have heard that EEDC was planning to use security operatives to compel members and residents to continue to pay outrageous bills or disconnect their light.”
To this effect he stated that they have equally informed the leadership of security outfits in the state about EEDC’s sharp practices and their decisions as victims so as to avoid breakdown of law and order.
Chief Achonye said they started this struggle against EEDC since two years ago when they complained to the Ogbaru Network Manager through letters and visits to the person in charge of EEDC revenue office in Ogidi, Idemili Local North Local Government Area, who invited their Indian boss from Enugu to be involved in the matter.
Their Indian boss, Chief Achonye, said was said to have assured them that if they get about 70 percent signatories of landlords, he would negotiate with them.
One of the spokespersons of the group, Mr. Sam Aballah, said their meeting was to send signal to EEDC that they would drag them to court because of the continuous distribution and collection of revenue of overestimated and outrageous bills inspite of their protest.
“We have made several representations and appeals to the EEDC to reconsider the outrageous bills being given to indigent Ogbaru residents but they fell on deaf ears,” he said.
Agballah said they are in possession of NERC regulations which stipulates the tariff the customers are supposed to pay but EEDC refused to comply.
Hence, he said, they insisted in their communique released after their meeting which was sent to EEDC that they will pay what is stipulated in EEDC regulations, not the outrageous bill.
However, if they refuse, the residents would want EEDC management to stop or withdraw their services from Okpoko.
Mr. Raphael Agu, the Secretary-General of Ogboko community, said he was in support of the move by the residents to address the issue of over-estimated, outrageous and oppressive bills.
