Electricity consumers in Ezema/Ubulenu and Osita-Osili communities of Uke in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra state have petitioned the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) over what they termed “strange and unnecessary outrageous estimated bills by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC).
They alleged that the crazy bills were outside method of estimated billing and prepaid billing approved by the Commission.
The residents, predominantly retired old rural populace, demanded full investigation into what they alleged as large scale estimated billing fraud and irregularities being heaped on their area by the power company.
Led by Chief Mmaduabuchi Anekwe and Chief Okechukwu Anakwuo, the residents said they had in a letter through their lawyer, Barrister C. H. Asiegbu, Esq dated Oct 13,2020 called on NERC to intervene, since several correspondences with EEDC did not yield any positive outcome.
They expressed readiness to approach a court of competent jurisdiction over the matter to press home their case if they were not attended to or satisfied.
Speaking to newsmen, immediate past Secretary General of the Uke Development Union, Mr Bon Onwubualiri said they were shocked that EEDC was charging very high tariff on residents of such remote rural village.
He accused the power firm of over-billing and disconnecting their supply, thereby throwing the area into darkness since June 2020.
He said they had reached out to other consumers nationwide that were passing through similar or worse fraudulent billing methods in the hands of EEDC and other discos.
“We appeal to NERC to investigate EEDC properly because the villagers were ready to even go to court if not satisfied.
Reacting, a Senior manager of EEDC
Mr Jefry Nwainokpor, blamed the communities “for not managing their energy consumption well.
He urged them to replace all incandescent bulbs with energy savers version, just as he enjoined them to ensure their lights were switched on only at nights when they were needed.
He said, “EEDC has not increased the tariff. It was inconceivable for a transformer with 200 users to be paying N143,976.”
