Cancel All Contracts With EEDC, IPOB Tells South-East Govs
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has asked the South-East governors to cancel all power contracts with the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) for allegedly being an impediment to the development of the South-East region.
IPOB in a statement issued by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said that the EEDC has proven to be incapable of providing reliable, adequate and affordable electricity to support the economic stimulation and growth of the South-East.
According to IPOB, the power distribution company is merely allegedly extorting money from the people of the South-East without providing reliable electricity.
The group said that the South-East governors should leverage on the electricity deregulation policy of President Bola Tinubu’s government and engage other local or foreign electricity generation and distribution companies to take the place of the “incompetent company called EEDC.”
IPOB said the current electricity deregulation policy of the Nigerian government has given powers to the state governments to generate and distribute power to their state, “Therefore, South-East governors must not subject the Eastern region to darkness in order to please the insatiable greedy company called EEDC and its owner.
“Electricity is a catalyst for economic development and growth, which Ndigbo must not be denied at a time like this.
“South-East governors have no excuse for not providing reliable and efficient electricity in their states. The time of giving excuses with the monopoly of NEPA, PHCN or EEDC is over.
“Now, the federal government’s electricity deregulation has given them the power to hire and fire any electricity company in their state.
“Eastern region governors can come together and partner with a reputable power company that can provide steady and affordable electricity for the entire region. The governors must ensure that there is adequate electricity in the region without further delay.”
IPOB said that its attention has been drawn to an unconfirmed letter written to the South-East governors, universities, institutions, companies and communities by the EEDC to pay for light they did not consume and that failure to do so, the EEDC will shut off their lights.
“We beg the EEDC to jettison such an idea because we don’t want to use force on them and if they want to test the power IPOB possesses, we will let them taste the venom.
“If they venture to cut any lights in the South-East this time around, we will react because we have endured enough.
“EEDC is a big disappointment to the people of the South-East Region. They are not showing any sign of repentance or improvement in the electricity distribution, and they failed to provide prepaid meters across the South-East Region.
“Their extortion and incompetency should not be endured any longer. IPOB wants the governors not to allow EEDC to use another company to come back and deceive them, and try to take another contract because EEDC has failed and can not handle the electricity distribution in the South-East Region.
“IPOB wants the governors to take responsibility for providing steady light in the South-East Region.
“The development and progress of the South-East is dependent on these conditions. They should stop every unnecessary excuse. IPOB and Ndigbo, in general, have lost confidence in EEDC.
“The South-East governors must wake up and demonstrate their willingness to drive economic development of the East via the provision of steady and affordable electricity by canceling all power deals with incompetent and extortionist – EEDC,” IPOB said.
