By Micheal Agbarho
It was with joy residents of the nation’s capital city Abuja welcomed the arrival of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).
AEDC was incorporated in Nigeria on 8 November 2005 as a public liability company to take over electricity distribution activities and related businesses of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (“PHCN”) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Niger, Kogi and Nasarawa States.
They eventually got the license in 2013. Residents of FCT, Niger, Kogi and Nasarawa were hopeful that the success achieved in the telecommunication sector would be replicated in their states.
Unfortunately, AEDC has proved to be a worse failure as they have not justified why they should have the license and monopoly to distribute electricity to the affected people.
Rather, it is unfortunate that supply of power has gone worse than where AEDC met it. Like in other facets of the society, AEDC has taken power worse than where they met it.
AEDC is more concerned with Bill collection irrespective of what the people are getting.
It is unfortunate that the company has not done anything to alleviate the plight of FCT residents.
The malaise witnessed in the past is still there. Residents are still contributing to buy transformer, poles, wire and other gadgets, even when they are paying for supply.
Recently in a neighborhood around Nyanya, the pole fell and after about three days, the residents had to contribute to get another one and other materials needed to effect repairs. In doing the repairs, AEDC officials were also given money. What a rip off of innocent Nigerians!
AEDC has not taken any meaningful step to move the power supply forward. Meanwhile, Government has shown itself incapacitated in coming to the aid of consumers who are being ripped off.
Meanwhile, economic development is seriously been affected by inadequate power supply.
Small-scale businesses that can’t afford alternative sources of power are closing shop, further deepening poverty in the land.
How will crime not grow when people are forced out of their sources of income?
How long will this continue? Who will come to the aid of the affected residents? Who long will AEDC continue to stagnant the nation’s capital?
Matthew Agbarho writes from Abuja
