The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, has confirmed that power cut in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, FTC, was a deliberate act to punish those bypassing the use of pre-paid metres.
This is coming following a protest letter sent to DAILY POST by a group of Concerned Landlords in the Area Council.
In the letter signed by the Secretary of the group, Benjamin Otene, the erratic nature of power supply in the Area Council including Ushafa, Jigo, Kpambara, Dutsen, and some other areas of the council was becoming unbearable.
They further alleged that they were being punished over what is no fault of theirs as information in their disposal has it that the Area Manager, Mr Simeone Omebe has vowed to deal with residents of the council area over the activities of bypassers.
The letter alleged thus, ” We gathered that the power problem we are experiencing is deliberately aimed at punishing us over the activities of bypassers. We were told that the Area Manager, one Simeone Omebe has vowed to deal decisively with all residents of the Area Council if some people continue to bypass their pre-paid metres.
” Obviously, this is no fault of ours. As responsible landlords, we have never been engaged in such illegal act. We do not subscribe to such, so why are we being punished for no fault of ours?” they asked.
The Landlords further alleged that Omebe had ”intelligently” programmed distribution in such a way that the light becomes useless whenever it is supplied.
”The light is not even useful within the hours he claims he supplies. For instance, since the past one month, he made sure people had already gone to bed before power is restored and power goes off again around 3am to 4am. What kind of light is that? Are we paying for light to be used in our dreams? This, to us is illegal and wickedness at its peak,” they stressed.
The group called on the AEDC to find a better way to deal with bypassers and not to punish responsible people who are dedicated to paying their bills.
They threatened to take up a case against the AEDC should this be allowed to continue.
Meanwhile, DAILY POST’s independent investigation confirmed that power in Ushafa, Dutsen, Jigo, Kpambara, and a host of other areas in the Area Council are being timed against the peak hour usage.
Despite the information divulged to our correspondent by an insider source who confirmed the timing, our correspondent relocated to Ushafa for a few days to monitor the power situation.
For one full week of the monitoring, our correspondent observed the alleged power cut as residents are usually left stranded as from 4pm when people are returning home from work. The power is not always restored until midnight when everyone had gone to bed.
It was observed that the system will automatically trip off as early as 4am the next day.
DAILY POST observed the frustration of residents who while lamenting said that it had never been this bad in the Area Council.
A resident who pleaded anonymous told DAILY POST that AEDC was taking customers for granted with their new approach. He said, ”how can you punish innocent people for the sins of a few others?”
When DAILY POST reached the Area Manager, Mr Simeone Omebe, he admitted cutting supplies due to the activities of bypassers, but argued that Nigerians are never satisfied even if they are given 24 hours power supply.
He said, ” Just take for example, you are generating power worth N150 million and you are collecting about N50 million, are you gaining or losing? Is that a good business?
“In New Jerusalem by zone 4 in Dutsen, the 58 people I caught for bypass, as I speak to you, they are yet to pay their fines. If you go there now, you will see people hanging wires illegally.”
But when DAILY POST asked further to know if AEDC does not have relevant laws or measures in place to prosecute those bypassing, he said ” which measures now?”
When our correspondent asked if AEDC was bereaved of ideas apart from cutting supplies, he said he was having a meeting with community stakeholders over the issue, assuring that as soon as the people sign an undertaking that they won’t allow bypassing, he would return them to the glory days of reasonable power supply, promising to invite our correspondent to the meeting.
According to him, ”I’m having a meeting with Ushafa people this weekend. Once they agree that they won’t allow bypassers to continue their illegal activities, power will be restored fully. I will let you know so you can join us at the meeting.”
But Mr Omebe did not invite DAILY POST to the meeting as promised. When DAILY POST called for a follow on the outcome of the meeting, he simply said ” We had the meeting.” When asked if the power issue had been resolved, he said, ” I will give them light. I’m not eating the light.”
When DAILY POST contacted the AEDC General Manager Communications, Mr Oyebode Fadipe, he pleaded for more time in order to have a meeting with the Area Manager on how to resolve the power problem.
He, however, denied that the distribution company was involved in power cut as a result of activities of bypassers, arguing that such was not allowed in the organization. He assured that, ”whatever be the issue would be resolved.”
Meanwhile, when DAILY POST checked back after two weeks, residents and the petitioners complained that the power problem had further deteriorated.
