Residents of Uga community in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State on Monday staged a peaceful protest against the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company and its subsidiary, FirstPower Electricity Distribution Limited, over persistent poor power supply and what they described as outrageous estimated electricity bills.
The protesters said the community has endured years of darkness, with homes, businesses and institutions largely dependent on generators, candles and other alternatives, while electricity bills continue to be issued monthly. They noted that despite the lack of regular power supply, residents are still charged as if electricity were stable, a situation they said has worsened economic hardship in the area.
Addressing journalists, the Chairman of the Uga Community Electricity Committee, Evangelist Johnpaul Ifediba, said the community has never experienced stable electricity supply during festive periods, including Christmas. Speaking on behalf of the President General of the Uga Improvement Union, Chief Romanus Umenze, he cautioned against indiscriminate disconnections without engagement with the community electricity committee and maintained that residents would no longer pay for electricity not consumed. He explained that electricity supply to Uga often stops at Ula, Ekwulobia, and only reaches the community through manual intervention at odd hours due to unresolved technical faults. He added that power supply rarely exceeds twice a week and does not last beyond a few hours, while applications for prepaid meters remain unattended to.
The Councillor representing Uga Ward One, Hon. Onyeka Ezenwa, said the erratic power supply has crippled businesses and affected public and private institutions. He stated that households receive estimated bills ranging from ₦12,000 to ₦100,000 monthly, while villages billed in bulk are charged between ₦500,000 and several millions of naira, even when electricity supply is minimal. He also raised concerns over disconnections, removal of cables and additional charges imposed on residents.
Small business operators, including Mr. Sunny Ezeajama, a barber, and Mrs. Chidimma Ochiogwu, a businesswoman, said they spend between ₦60,000 and ₦100,000 monthly on fuel and diesel, yet still receive electricity bills of up to ₦70,000. Other speakers, including Comrade E. E. Elochi, Mr. Umennajiego Ukachukwu, Mr. Ezennia Josiah, Mr. Chibuike Ezeabuzie, Mrs. Ngozi Ozoemena, Nze John Abadibe, Mrs. Uche Madufe and Mr. Onwuka Ifeanyi, appealed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to intervene to ensure stable electricity supply in the community.
Also speaking, the Coordinator of the Electricity Consumer’s Rights Network, Comrade Osita Obi, said the complaints would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for necessary action and encouraged other communities facing similar challenges to speak up and seek assistance.
