From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Residents of Abuja will be thrown into sudden darkness from January 6, 2025, following the relocation of 33KV DC Airport Feeder and 132 KV Kukwaba Apo Transmission Line along the Outer Southern Expressway.
In a statement, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), said areas to be affected include Lugbe and environs; Airport Road, Kapwa, NNPC, Games Village, National Stadium, Eye Clinic, Indoor Complex, Christ Embassy Church and American International School.
Others are, Spring Court, American Embassy Quarters, EFCC Headquarters, Coca Cola, Railway, Federal Medical Centre (FMC), parts of Apo, parts of Gudu, Gbazango and environs; parts of Kubwa, Bwari and environs; parts of Jahi, parts of Jabi, Karu, Nyanya, Mararaba, Keffi and environs and other parts of Abuja.
Before now, residents of Abuja under the AEDC franchise areas were not smiling at all because of the weight of tariff burden. Residents complained that even with the blackout they will still pay the usual amount they used to pay when there was no interruption.
However, they said, those that suffer more are customers on estimated billing system who are at the whims and caprices of AEDC. The DisCo was accused of wrong and fraudulent estimations.
According to them, customers on the estimated billing platform are used to pay for the unrecovered energy theft.
The National President, Association for Public Policy Analysis and Executive Director, Consumer Protection Advocacy Centre, Chief Princewill Okorie, submitted that beside the estimated bills, consumers are meant to buy most of the equipment.
“Why shouldn’t there be vandalism when the consumers who should protect the equipment are angry because they are forced to pay for what they did not consume?
“Consumers are forced to buy materials and equipment and hand over the same equipment to AEDC who now increase their tariff. What an irony of life” he lamented.
Mr Abel Mukoro, a resident of the Presidency Quarters at Phase 1, Karu in Abuja, said that he does not understand what is meant by Band A, B, C, D, E and he’s totally against the increase and lopsidedness in payments of the said electricity tariff.
He said that the hike will definitely affect the poor consumers, who are suffering to survive the harsh economic situation being experienced in the country today.
“It is another avenue to enrich the pockets of the staff of the AEDC who will put unsuspecting customers on high bills.
For example, we are on Band A and are supposed to get electricity for a maximum of 20 hours but the highest we get in some days is about 12 hours. Yet we pay high,” he lamented.
Another consumer, Patience Nana said that where she resides at Jikwoyi Phase 3 in Abuja, consumers are supposed to get 16 hours maximum electricity supply (Band B) but hardly get four hours’ supply.