Basic development and progress of any modern society can not begin without an enhanced stable supply of electricity.
Before 1830, industrial productivity in Europe was driven by Steam Power. Though comparatively progressive, the advancement recorded was quite minimal. What ended up bringing about Europe’s Industrial Revolution, especially in Great Britain, was the impact of electricity about 1830.
The economic growth of any nation is determined, in the main, by the state of its electricity. In any nation where electricity generation, transmission and distribution are guaranteed twenty-four hours in a week, it would be uncommon to experience unemployment, youthful restiveness, a high crime rate or economic stagnation.
Before the Nigerian Civil War, also known as Nigeria/Biafra war, 1967-70, the defunct Eastern Nigerian Government under the dynamic leadership of her late Premier; Dr Michael Okpara, was believed to be one of the fastest-growing economies in sub-Sahara Africa. A major factor that contributed to her growth was a stable regular supply of electricity in the country then. The defunct Electricity Corporation of Nigeria was almost flawless in providing electricity needed to drive Nigeria’s industrial adventure.
Following the unbundling of Power Holding Company of Nigeria by the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration in 2005, the Federal Government conceptualized the idea of creating a Transmission Company, Generating Companies and Distribution Companies. It had, in order to guarantee a sustainable policy drive, created the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission through the Electricity Power Sector Act of 2005.
However, not much was done in the implementation of the new Electricity Policy until in 2013, when the then President Goodluck Jonathan took the bull by the horn by fully Privatizing the Nigerian Electricity Sector, as then symbolized by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria.
The intervention of President Jonathan eventually gave rise to one Transmission Company, six Generating Companies and eleven Distribution Companies.
In the South-east, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company; EEDC, got the contractual mandate of distributing electricity within the region or zone.
Right from its inception in 2013, EEDC, that inherited all the Assets, including critical infrastructure of former Electricity Corporation of Nigeria, National Electric Power Authority and lastly Power Holding Company of Nigeria, came with a mindset of total heartless brutal exploitation of electricity consumers in Abia State.
Since 2013 that it commenced its extortionist operation in Abia State, EEDC has not made any quantifiable attempt to improve on the equipment or infrastructure that it inherited from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria. Everything in its operational possession is at the nadir of Infrastructural collapse and abysmal State of dysfunctionality.
A Company that should clearly exhibit core values of service, customer focus, integrity, professionalism and cost-effective efficiency, has, on the contrary, become the thorn in the economic and social fresh of the people of Abia State.
The cumulative distribution of electricity in Abia State has never exceeded one hundred megawatts in any month since the EEDC started its exploitation in the State.
There has never been a day in the State when EEDC brought to light and it lasted to the extent of completing pumping a five-hundred Gee-Pee water tank.
In most cases, by the time one is in one’s bedroom and sees EEDC light before one would get to one’s living room, the light would have disappeared.
Aba is the industrial hub of Abia State. As a people endowed with an uncommon gift of creativity, they require regular and stable Electricity to pursue their ingenuity. But EEDC has never supplied power consecutively for ten minutes. How then would the people put into use their talent and productive skill in a case of the complete absence of electricity?
In their quest to make sure that they sustain productivity and remain economically relevant, the Aba Entrepreneurs have been forced to resort to privately-provided electric generators. The result of this situation is not only that prices of production escalate but causes a lot of environmental pollution and degradation in the city. This development affects both the health and security of the people.
To add salt to injury, the billing system of EEDC lacks parameter. The Company bills purely on exploitative unilateral discretion. Just for instance, in the month of April 2020, somewhere in Osisioma Industrial Layout in Aba, EEDC flashed light about four times. There was no supply of electricity throughout that month. Yet, when it brought her bill in May, some residents were asked to pay eight thousand nairas and, some, above.
The investigation has proved that many electricity consumers in Abia State have applied for Pre-Paid Meters from EEDC for more than one year but to no avail. The Company prefers its Exploitative and Extortionist Policy of Unilateral Discretional Billing.
The people of Abia State have never been so subjected to such brazen day-light robbery and economic suffocation, as they have silently been passing through in the excruciating hands of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company.
The deprivation and frustration have so gone beyond what the people of God’s-own State can endure that the Governor of the State; Okezie Ikpeazu, PhD, a Gentleman that is never confrontational and would hardly complain, has been compelled to express deep dissatisfaction with the conduct of EEDC in the State. In fact, Governor Ikpeazu made it clear that he will report EEDC to the new Board of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.
From every indication, the only objective of EEDC in Abia State is to milk her people dry through cutthroat exploitation and extortion. As long as EEDC is concerned, Abia State is a Milk Cow. Whatever happens to the Cow after being heartlessly milked dry and even to death, does not mean anything to the Company.
It has, therefore, become imperative that the Federal Government should have a review of the Contractual Agreement or Memorandum of Understanding it reached with EEDC, especially as it concerns Abia State.
As long as electricity is concerned, Abia State still has alternatives. The National Integrated Power Plant at Alaoji in Aba and the Geometric Electricity Project also in Aba could readily come to the rescue of consumers in the State.
By Sir Don Ubani; KSC, JP
Okwubunka of Asa.
14th May 2020.
