Following threats by electricity consumers in Anambra State to mobilize its counterparts in other states of the Southeast to engage in civil disobedience over the epileptic power supply in the state, the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC has counseled that the move may not be necessary.
According to the EEDC, this is because there are set complaint redress mechanism channels established to attend to issues and concerns raised by customers.
Last week, electricity consumers under the aegis of the Electricity Consumers Rights Network (ECRN) met in Awka, the capital of Anambra State, to take initiatives to address the perennial power challenges experienced in parts of the state.
At the forum, the network suggested the unbundling of the EEDC, the setting up of independent power projects to cater to the power needs of the people, the enactment of legislation to checkmate some excesses of the EEDC, among other measures that, government should take to address the electricity challenges.
They further agreed that in the event where their demands are not met, they will have no other option than to engage in civil disobedience which is within the provisions of the law, until the right things are done.
But when our correspondent spoke with Emeka Ezeh, the EEDC Head, Corporate Communication, he encouraged customers to make use of the complaints channels in addressing whatever grievances they have and not resort to violence, assuring them that their issues will be looked into and addressed.
However, he said that where this does not happen, customers can escalate to higher authorities, revealing that EEDC has recruited customer service representatives who are present at its service centers and district offices.
Acknowledging that the EEDC does not have a perfect system yet, Ezeh said that is why they have made these channels available to enable customers to reach them anytime.
He noted that the Nigerian power sector has a lot of challenges it is contending with, ranging from inadequate quantum of energy generated, poor funding, energy theft, vandalism, huge unpaid debt, among other things.
According to him, it would be unfair to heap the whole blame of the sector on the distribution companies.
Reacting to the consumers’ complaint of lack of competition in the sector and EEDC’s monopoly, Eze said the President’s approval of the Electricity Act of 2023 has to a large extent liberalized the power sector, thereby opening it up for investment and competition.
He said with this in place, State Governments can now generate, transmit, and distribute electricity within their states, as well as enact their own electricity laws, set up their own electricity regulatory commission that will regulate the electricity market within the state, and create the enabling environment to attract investment.
On the allegations that EEDC was manufacturing meters to bill consumers, Eze noted EEDC was only licensed to distribute electricity within the South East, adding that the manufacturing of meters is not part of the business of the company.
“I do not know where that unfounded allegation is emanating from.
“However, it might interest you to know that as part of efforts to close the metering gap in the sector, NERC (the regulator) came up with several metering initiatives. One of which is the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) – an arrangement where distribution companies engage meter suppliers/manufacturers who source for funds, import meters, and meter customers (after the customers must have applied and paid for the meters).
“Currently, EEDC has two meter providers – Mojec International Limited and Advanced Energy Management Solutions Limited (AEMS). Both are independent meter companies that support the metering initiative within the EEDC network. They are neither owned by EEDC nor run by EEDC,” he said.
The EEDC Corporate Communications Head, while also responding to the call for immediate unbundling of EEDC and establishment of independent power plants, said the Electricity Act of 2023 has already taken care of it, empowering states to do so.
