By Raphael Ede Enugu
Enugu State House of Assembly has warned the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) to stop forthwith the incessant and arbitrary hike in electricity bills in the state. Th e order was contained in the report of the Ad hoc Committee on the EEDC and Electricity Consumers crisis in the state, presented on the fl oor of the House by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Donatus Uzogbado who was also the Chairman of the Ad hoc committee.
Th e assembly also urged the company to provide well calibrated pre-paid meters to all customers both in urban and rural areas. While presenting the report before the assembly Tuesday, Hon. Donatus Uzogbado also directed the company to immediately revert to the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) approved tariff of 27.13kilowatt hour (Kwh). Uzogbado noted with dismay that the EEDC was charging urban areas tariff of 30.3Kwh and the rural areas 34.28kwh as against NERC approved rate of 27.13kwh since December, 2016. He said that the committee was constituted to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the crisis between the EEDC and consumers and make appropriate recommendations to the house.
Th e Deputy Speaker of the assembly, pointed nout that the committee organized public hearings with the three senatorial zones on the numerous complaints on activities of the EEDC in the state. According to him, the committee organized a public hearing with Enugu West Senatorial Zone on April 26, Enugu North Zone on May 3 and Enugu East senatorial zone on May 10 which was much tensed and noted that the committee came up with 13 recommendations for the resolution of the crisis between EEDC and their consumers in the state. Uzogbado recommended that EEDC should obey approved estimation billing methodology, improve on power supply to consumers, give proper notice to consumers before disconnection and respond promptly to consumers’ complaints.
