The residents of Timbershade environs in Ebem, Ohafia local government area of Abia state have cried to relevant authorities especially the state ministry of power to come to their aid over what they call deliberate and undue negligence by authorities of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC who have for several months refused to power the area despite several appeals by the community.
The residents say their previous transformer developed technical faults last year over matters relating to overload. According to them, this prompted them to galvanize resources within themselves and got a higher capacity transformer in replacement. Sadly, the new transformer has been lying abandoned since November last year. They wonder why a 300Kva substation feeding over 5000 customers should be neglected with such a reckless abandon.
Investigations by Abia Breaking News reveals that when fully powered, the station has the potentials of generating over a million Naira monthly. Unfortunately, this has been generated only in deficit while small businesses in the area continue to suffer over lack of power. The residents say earlier complaints raised since October last year have not been attended to.
Our investigations also reveal that lower capacity 100kva transformers in the area that can help fully electrify the environs have been lying fallow because of the refusal of EEDC to power them. The residents have remained in darkness despite making frantic efforts to have their community electrified. They also raised concern over estimated billing that has been forced down their throats by EEDC, want them to make available metering system to bring to an end what they describe as undue extortion.
Efforts made by our correspondent to reach the network manager and feeder manager whose names were given simply as Udechukwu and Arinze proved unsuccessful.
While this negligence and laxity on the side of EEDC continues, the residents of Timbershade in Ebem Ohafia has only one plea; that their area be electrified with the transformer they have acquired.
