From Maurice Okafor,Enugu.
The Enugu state government and the Enugu Electricity Distribution Commission(EEDC) are currently having a soiled relationship and at each others throat over electricity bills
The EEDC is accusing the authorities of Enugu state government of sealing it’s operational headquarter located along Okpara avenue and three district offices within the metropolis. While the Enugu state government accused EEDC to have disconnected power supply from some of the government offices and parastatals over unclarified bills.
A letter to the Managing Director of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company(EEDC) signed by the Secretary to the state government ,Professor Chidiebere Onyia,tasked EEDC to reconnect all the government agencies it disconnected as the basis for truce.
Part of the Enugu state government letter to EEDC,signed by the SSG reads,
“Considering the provisions of NERC Order,the recent disconnections of government offices,parastatals,College of Medicine ESUT Teaching Hospital,Housing Development,State Secretariat etc is unlawful,callous and has inflicted malicious damages to the image and integrity of the state government.These acts are vexatious and unacceptable”
Earlier in a press statement, EEDC Head of corporate communications,Mr Emeka, saud the sealing of EEDC office is based on the moves to disconnect power supply to the state seat of power over more than one billion naira indebtedness of Enugu government house and offices in the state.
He asserted that the South East government house, the Nigerian Army, Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian airforce,NDLEA, Nigeria Railway Corporation, Prisons,etc sre collectively owing EEDC over 180 billion naira.
EEDC press statement reads,”We were informed by the security men on duty that in the early hours of today(Tuesday) at about 1.35 am, a group of men cane and locked up the gates,claiming that the state governor directed the action.
“Our Abakpa,Awkunanaw and Ogui district offices were not spared as their gates were equally sealed and locked.
“As at now,there has not been any clear information from ECTDA explaining their action .
We however suspect that this action might not be unconnected to the notice of disconnection published by EEDC informing indebted customers of our intention to commence disconnection today,Tuesday 14,2024 .
“Enugu State government happens to be one of the indepted customers with over one billion naira owed to EEDC.It is important to state that majority of the state government’s facilities are metred,So it is not a case of estimated billing”, Emeka Ezeh stated.
END.
