…Soludo on March 25, signed a pact between the state government and the EEDC
The Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA) has asked Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo to explain details of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on steady power supply in the state.
Soludo had on March 25, signed a pact between the state government and the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), to ensure tpower supply in the state is available 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
The chamber’s President, Chief Kevin Obieri, in a statement on Monday expressed worry over absence of detailed information regarding the MoU and its broad implications for the business community in Onitsha and the entire state.
He listed areas of lack of information to include when the partnership would commence, cost implications and whether the projections were in a month, a year’s time or towards the tail end of the administration’s tenure.
The statement reads in part, “While the chamber continues to support Gov. Soludo’s developmental strides in the state, we strongly feel that the government should do well to sensitise the business community about the MoU.
“Beyond payment of bills by users, are there other cost implications? If any, will the cost be borne by the state or wholly transferred to the public or subsidised?
“If the cost is to be borne by the state, what are the implications to the state’s finances especially as the nation is currently grappling with record inflation?
“With a struggling economy, businesses trying to stay afloat and people living on a knife’s edge, it would help that people are aware of the full details of the MoU, so that necessary adjustments can be made.
“As of March 21, the total National Power Generation was 4,670 megawatts out of
which 365 megawatts was assigned to EEDC which provides distribution for the whole of the Southeast.
“The obvious question then is, how feasible is the provision of 24/7electricity when the allocation to EEDC is quite minute to satisfy the whole of Southeast?
“Even experts have insisted that Southeast requires a minimum of 10,000 megawatts of electricity for a steady power supply.
“More critical is that EEDC is only a distribution company not a generation company and can only distribute what is released to it by the GENCOS. They cannot control or guarantee a 24/7 power supply.
“These are many questions begging for answers here.”
Describing steady electricity supply
in the state as most critical factor to kick-start and galvanize the much publicized
industrialisation of the state, ONICCIMA boss stressed that steady electricity would transform economic equation of businesses and boost disposable income of the citizenry while propelling revenue generation capacity of the state.
“This is why every pronouncement regarding achieving this laudable aim must be well considered while any impediment to the realization of this objective must be addressed quickly.
“To this end, the business community as well as the general public await to hear a well articulated process-flow and details of the MoU signed on their behalf to dispell needless speculations and rumours.
“We hope that the state government through the relevant Ministries will expand its sensitisation and awareness campaign on this critical agreement, “Obieri stated.
