By Magnus Aluma, Abakaliki
The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has condemned the incessant intimidation and beating of it’s field workers by customers. EEDC’s Head of Corporate Communications, Mr Emeka Eze, disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent in Enugu.
Mr Eze also condemned the poor attitude of electricity consumers towards payments of their bills, saying it was an act of sabotage on the efforts of office to meet the energy needs of the people.
He said: “I look at this attitude as outright sabotage as it pulls back the business of power generation and distribution. And remember, this organization is now private sector driven, and anything a customer does, affects someone’s business directly.”
He called on the Federal Government to pay to the power sector, it’s counterpart fund, being part of the agreement signed by the two parties, before the sector was privatized.
“I can not give you the accurate figure now, but I know it is a huge sum of money which, if released now, will turn around the economy of Nigeria, through improved power supply,” he said.
Eze also urged the incoming government to enact enabling legislations that would spell capital punishment, on electricity vandals, adding that theft, power bypass and vandalism had been a serious threat to the growth of the power sector.
“It is not enough to impose a fifty-thousand-naira charge on someone who indulges in bypass for instance and let him go afterwards. Such person has to be charged to court and be made to face the full weight of the law, to serve as deterrent to others,” he emphasized.
He, however, urged electricity consumers to stop seeing the amenity as a national cake in which every citizen has the right to his or her share, stressing that it is a business that should be patronized and encouraged, to give out it’s best.
