By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Chairman of the Kogi state council of Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ) Comrade Adeiza Momohjimoh on Tuesday in Lokoja
Cried out with a Save our souls message to the government over the outrageous electricity bills from Abuja Electricity and Distribution Company (AEDC).
The Union observed the unbridled attitude of the Abuja Electricity and Distribution Company (AEDC) in doling out outrageous monthly bills to customers especially in Lokoja, the Kogi State Capital without a commensurate service rendered to customers
In a press release signed by the chairman, Comrade Adeiza Momohjimoh and the secretary Ademu Seidu noted that this attitude started between August – September, 2022 when there was a noticeable slight improvement on the electricity supply within Lokoja metropolis which AEDC hurriedly latched on to increase the monthly bills from the usual ₦3,000- ₦4,000 per building to ₦6,000- ₦8,000 respectively.
“Without considering the biting economic situation in the country and the ability of customers to pay, AEDC again increased the bill to ₦11, 700 in August last year, January monthly bills rose to #14,700 while the latest February bill has also been jerked up to ₦15, 300.”
“When the Union members decided to enquire from the organization, no official of the AEDC in the state was willing to speak over this abysmal monthly increase.”
“Despite the fact that electricity supply has dropped drastically between eight to ten hours a day to a miserable three to four hours a day as experienced by some areas in the state capital while others experience total outage for days or weeks without any explanation from the distribution company.”
The union also observed that the AEDC flagrantly refused to make available the Pre-Paid Metres to members of the public even when payments had been made but rather take delight in giving out a blanket monthly outrageous bills to it’s customers without even reading the metres
The union therefore called on the Kogi State House of Assembly and particularly Governor Yahaya Bello to immediately wade into this matter and call the management of AEDC to order as the monthly increment may result to breakdown of law and order.
The current hardship of fuel scarcity, water scarcity, incessant electricity outage and the cash crunch being experienced by residents of the state should not be further compounded by AEDC propensity.
