Power
SOME electricity customers under the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) network have lauded the company for a noticeable improvement in the supply of power lately.
Some of the customers who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Friday, said their average period of supply had increased from about four hours per day to average of 16 hours.
They, however, expressed worry that the recent increase in electricity tariff would diminish their income and profit while others tasked the company on the need to ensure that customers were comprehensively issued prepaid metres.
Mr Matthew Okeke, a Cyber Café Operator in Ifite-Awka area of Awka, the capital city of Anambra, said he had ran his business more on power supply lately more than in the past when he virtually relied on generator.
Okeke said the regular spending on purchase of petrol and repairs which made the cost of doing business very high had reduced considerably and that he now went home with more profit.
“Honestly, EEDC has improved with power supply, there are days that I don’t start my generator so that leaves me with more gain.
“I just hope they sustain the supplyso that we know that our expenses will be just for payment of bills,” he said.
A civil servant, Mrs Jane Onuorah who lives in Amawbia near Awka, confirmed that power has improved in her area.
Onuorah, who said she had prepaid meter in her apartment, noted the speed of consumption had increased due to regular supply and that she now put off the meter when there was no need for power.
“The last one month has been good for us in terms of power supply, we now store food in our refrigerator and save money on gas and kerosene.
“The major worry now is that we will be paying more because of the increase which took affect from Sept. 2, I don’t think that there is need for the increase in tariff because there is no money,“ she said.
Some reactions on EEDC social media handle, also showed that the feeling was similar in other locations within the network.
Mr Emmanuel Chukwu, a barber at Achara Layout, Enugu, said on the twitter handle that he used to buy N800 worth of petrol daily to run his business but that had not been the case in the last two months.
Chukwu said, “For almost two months, I have continued to experience stable supply within my business hours, even if they take the light, you are sure that within 20 or 30 minutes it will be restored.”
Another twitter user, Ovunna Deckland who lives in Abakaliki, Ebonyi, simply said, “I commend EEDC for its effort in ensuring constant power supply within our jurisdiction in Abakaliki.”
Miss Gloria Nnamani, a resident of Amaechi Road in Enugu, said there had been over six hours additional electricity supply within the area.
According to Nnamani, a twitter user, “I must give kudos to EEDC for this recent improvement.”
Mr Emeka Ezeh, Head, Communications Department at EEDC, attributed the development to huge investments made by the company in maintaining, upgrading and strengthening infrastructure of the network in past one year.
Ezeh said the quality of service could only be sustained if customers paid their bills regularly, shun energy theft and ensure that EEDC installations were not vandalised.
“We are excited that our customers are already experiencing the effect of these efforts and hope they will reciprocate by promptly paying their energy bills.
“We urge our customers to desist from illegal activities that negatively impact on its operations, such as meter bypass, energy theft and unauthorised access to the network and vandalism.
“EEDC is committed to ensuring that this feat already achieved is not just maintained, but surpassed,” Ezeh said. (NAN)
– Sept. 4, 2020 @ 11:59 GMT |
Tags: Customers laud EEDC over improved power supply
