By Ovat Abeng
The convener of the Electricity Consumers Rights Initiative and Electricity Consumers Rights Network, Comrade Osita Obi, on Tuesday said that the poor supply of electricity to Ndi Anambra would certainly harm Governor Charles Soludo’s dream of building a smart city in the state.
Obi, who spoke with Journalists in Awka, on Tuesday, said the people of Anambra State are anxious and fully supportive of Governor Soludo’s smart city vision and would not allow any force to derail it.
“The non-supply of electricity will automatically affect the governor’s smart city drive in the state. If there is no electricity, it will be difficult to actualize the dream of a smart city in the state.
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“Are people going to buy fuel to power a smart city? Fuel is very expensive now. The reason people rely on electricity is because it is cheaper, and consumers see it as a fundamental service that government should provide. Honestly, the poor or non-supply of electricity will definitely affect Governor Soludo’s smart city dream,” he said.
According to him, the government should liberalize energy supply in the state in order to drive the smart city vision.
“I am sure the government is already thinking in the direction of allowing private sector energy providers to power the smart city dream. But for now, since these things are not yet in place, the government should regulate the sector and should not allow citizens to suffer untold hardship due to the inefficiency of an organization,” he added.
Obi said that residents are currently facing hardship at the hands of EEDC and First Power because there is no competition in the sector.
He noted that if there were another independent organization providing electricity, First Power would be forced to improve its services.
He stressed the need for independent power company to intervene and rescue the state from darkness.
“Just like what is happening in Abia State, Aba Power is doing well by providing electricity to the people. The government can engage investors to replicate such a model here. One cluster may serve Awka, another may take Nnewi or Onitsha.
“EEDC came into the sector like a player sitting on a gold mine; it simply took over everything and is now enjoying monopoly.
“As I said earlier, the three major components of electricity distribution are cables, transformers and meters. Most of the transformers in Anambra are obsolete. Much energy is lost during transmission and through faulty transformers, yet consumers are forced to pay for these losses. Why must consumers pay for the incompetence and operational challenges of First Power or EEDC in the state?” he lamented.
Obi stated that consumers are not against First Power, the government, or EEDC, but they cannot continue paying for inefficiencies in the system.
According to him, nobody is saying that First Power or EEDC should supply electricity they do not have, but they should not compel consumers to pay for energy they did not consume.
He added that EEDC should stop issuing estimated bills because such bills do not reflect the actual amount of electricity consumed by customers.
“We need prepaid meters in our homes, not estimated billing. First Power and EEDC are exploiting consumers through estimated billing. There is no proper computerized tracking of the amount of electricity consumed by individual consumers. They simply issue bills even when the energy has been lost in transmission.
“Let there be justice in the payment of electricity bills. Consumers are ready to pay for what they actually consume,” he said.
Obi noted that First Power has argued that the poor electricity supply is a nationwide issue. However, he said consumers are not disputing that claim.
“What we are saying is this: if supply is poor nationwide, why should First Power charge consumers for electricity that does not exist? We are asking for prepaid meters. Do not transfer your inefficiency and operational challenges to consumers,” he said.
Reacting to claims that the rally is being organized ahead of the governor’s swearing-in ceremony scheduled for the 17th while the protest is slated for the 14th, Obi said the rally has nothing to do with the governor’s inauguration.
According to him, the rally is not directed against the governor, and people should not introduce political sentiments into an issue that concerns the welfare of the state.
“We all love the governor. I worked for him as a person and I am still working with him. There is no way we would work against a governor who has brought development to the people.
“There is no way I will work with electricity consumers to destabilize a state that I love so much and where I wish to live and die. What we want is for the governor to know that the people of Anambra are suffering. He may not be fully aware that people are being exploited by First Power, and we want him to intervene and do something about it.
“He may be younger, but we are all his children—even those who are 100 years old. He is our father because he is presiding over us, and he is doing very well,” he said.
According to Obi, the purpose of the protest is to draw the attention of the state government to the plight of Ndi Anambra in the hands of First Power so that the governor can intervene and save the people.
He warned that if the government does not step in to address the critical challenges facing electricity consumers, it could create serious problems for the state in the future.
Obi said that if the current trend of exploitation and extortion continues unchecked, electricity consumers may eventually take the law into their own hands.
“Time may come, if this situation is not addressed, when anyone who comes to collect money on behalf of First Power may be attacked.
“Various communities may begin to resist any attempt by First Power officials to enter their communities to carry out any electricity-related activities. That situation could degenerate into violence and anarchy.
“There could be cases where First Power officials attempt to disconnect electricity facilities and residents physically resist them. That could lead to chaos, and we do not want such a situation in Anambra State.
“We are not against First Power, and we are not demanding that they supply electricity they do not have, because they cannot give what they do not have. However, they should not charge consumers for electricity they did not supply.
“Our protest will ultimately benefit them because once the relationship between the company and consumers is harmonized, their operations will become easier. With prepaid meters in place, they will still make their money.
“I want to erase the fear that we are against First Power. Far from it,” he said.
Reacting to claims by the police that opposition elements may hijack the protest, Obi asked rhetorically whether there is any opposition in Anambra State.
He said the answer is no, noting that Soludo is firmly in charge of the state and that he personally supports him.
“Nobody will hijack the rally. The rally and protest were conceived to help First Power become more effective and also to let the government understand the pains of electricity consumers in the state. It is not meant to create any problem,” Obi concluded.
