Our grouse with Enugu State House Of Assembly, EEDC

The embattled Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has said that the vote of no confidence passed on the company last week by the Enugu House of Assembly arose because it disconnected Enugu government house over unpaid bills.

The EEDC, which classified the state government as “the biggest debtor among the five southeast states in our franchise area”, said the debt of the state as at March this year, stood at N2.6billion. It added however that government only made part payment of N100million on Tuesday with a promise to pay additional N200 million by the end of the month, which led to the reconnection of the government house.

It further revealed how a serving Commissioner in the state (name withheld) was involved in energy theft, even as it described the no confidence vote passed on it by the law makers as “shocking, inciting and unfortunate.”

Addressing journalists at Oraifite, Anambra state in reaction to the development among other issues raised by the Enugu Assembly, Acting Chief Services Officer of the power company, Peter Okeke, explained that the company decided to disconnect government house Enugu, following its inability to commence the payment of the stated indebtedness as agreed after several months of reconciliation.

He added however that while the management of the company was in a meeting with Governor Ugwuanyi on how to settle the debt, the lawmakers went on to hire protesters and sit to move a no confidence vote against the company.

Okeke stated that the matter was reported to the governor during their meeting, adding that of energy theft, meter bypass, vandalism, among others were the greatest challenge the Company was faced with.

Okeke, who was flanked by the company’s Head of Operations, Vincent Ekwekwu, and his Communications counterpart, Emeka Ezeh‎, said that the total indebtedness of Southeast Consumers stood at N40billion as at the end of March, stressing that with the huge debt profile, it would be difficult for the company to continue to operate smoothly.

He said that the company was determined to install prepaid meters for the 750,000 customers on her network, stressing that so far it has committed over N10billion in pre paid metering for her major consumers and others.