Report By: CD South-East Region Publicity Arm
The Campaign for
Democracy (CD), South-East Region has raised concern over the dwindling
fortunes of small and medium scale businesses within South-Eastern Nigeria.
This was contained in a
statement issued to newsmen by CD in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State on Monday.
The statement was signed
by Dede Uzor A. Uzor, Chairman, CD South-East Region.
It would be recalled
that the nationwide drop in electricity supply was caused by the
non-availability of gas supply to run most of the recent gas thermal
electricity plants across the country; especially Omotoso and Olorunsogo plants
in the South-West.
``The fact of the matter
is that the drastic drop of 1,112 electricity mage-watts supply is hitting the
South-East so hard than other regions of the country”.
``The economy of the
five South-Eastern states, which comprises of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and
Imo States, has crumbled since April 3, when the drop of the electricity
mega-watts started.
``Most cities in the
South-East especially the commercial and industrial centres of Onitsha, Nnewi,
Enugu, Aba, Umuahia, Abakaliki, Owerri and Orlu cannot have four hours daily
supply of electricity,’’ the statement said.
The statement alleged
that Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) was ripping off residents of South-Eastern
Nigeria through estimated bill, which is current amounting to at least N5400
monthly per household.
``South-Eastern Nigeria
has an average of 500,000 flats within Onitsha, Nnewi, Awka, Abakaliki, Owerri,
Orlu, Umuahia, Aba, Afikpo, Nsukka and Enugu among others”.
“PHCN makes a minimum of
N2.7 billion per month from consumers in these flats, most of these monies come
through estimated billing system”.
``The failure of the
company to provide the pre-paid meters to its customers; is to give room for
further extortion without reading the analog meters,’’ the statement further
said.
``We are calling on the
Federal Government and the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) as
a matter of urgency to resume the free supply of pre-paid meters to electricity
consumers against the demand of the current payment of N25,00 per each pre-paid
meters,’’ CD reiterated.
The statement also
called on Federal Government to resuscitate the moribund coal fired thermal
electricity plants at Oji River in Enugu State and Ijora in Lagos State
respectively.
It called on EFCC and
ICPC to immediate start investigation of the $16 million used for the
suspicious electricity power project contracts in the country during former
President Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime.
