Some communities in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital and its environs are living in darkness due to epileptic power supply.
Some of such communities have sent a Save-Our-Soul (SOS) to relevant agencies of the state government to intervene in a situation where the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) are allegedly charging exorbitant bills while they rarely see electric light.
The communities are Anua Obio on Aback road, Idoro, Mbiokporo, some parts of Itu, the host community of PHEDC sub-station, among others, all within Uyo.
The communities said that the estimated billing makes matters worse, as the size of a building is only billed without considering the amount of power they consume and at what rate per unit of power.
Speaking to the Nigerian Tribune, landlords and tenants said that the situation is devastating and making life more difficult and their businesses stagnated.
A tenant at Anua Obio told Nigerian Tribune that the cost of accommodation in the area is not commensurate with the supply of electricity in the area.
The tenant who simply identified himself as Job, complained that his tailoring business is suffering serious setback, saying that even when he had all the necessary sewing machines, he spends so much on fuel such that he still has to take sown materials to the city centre for embroidery, weaving and other necessary finishing touches to avoid over spending on fuel.
A tenant, Mrs. Ruth Eke said she and her family pay as much as N15,000 as electricity bill monthly without seeing light in a two bedroom apartment.
“It is very worrisome my sister. If I tell you that we don’t see light in this area up to 10 days in every month you may think I’m exaggerating but that is the whole truth.
“They only bring light towards the end of the month. That is when they are planning to bring their bills and immediately they serve the bills, the next few days, they will come back for disconnection.
“The young men coming for the bill will not listen to any excuse, all they want is money. If you beg them to take part of the money, they will collect it but another set will come the next day to disconnect the compound even when you are not at home.
A lady, Eno Gospel, a tenant at Udo Umana street told Nigerian Tribune that they had to pay for the prepaid meter to be installed in their compound after paying so much as estimated bills as well as settling issues with tenants who would not comply with the payment.
Nigerian Tribune observed that after officially disconnecting consumers who are unable to foot their electricity bills, same agents would come back with the same ladder illegally to reconnect them to power source for lesser amounts without receipts.
A PHEDC management staff, Mr. Johnson Johnson, who responded on the issues claimed ignorant of illegal sales of the company’s prepaid metres, saying they had mapped out plan of distribution of the metre in the state capital which they had followed judiciously.
For the outrageous estimated billing, Johnson said the company has perimeters for measuring the flow of power into particular areas considering the status of the environment.
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