Poor Electricity Supply Will Harm Soludo’s Smart City Initiative in Anambra – Obi

The convener of the Electricity Consumers Rights Initiative and Electricity Consumers Rights Network, Comrade Osita Obi, has said that poor supply of electricity in Anambra State could truncate Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s dream of building a smart city in the state.
Obi, who spoke with our reporter in Awka, the state capital, said the people of Anambra State are anxious and fully supportive of Governor Soludo’s smart city vision and would not allow any force to derail it.
“The non-supply of electricity will automatically affect the governor’s smart city drive in the state. If there is no electricity, it will be difficult to actualize the dream of a smart city in the state.
“Are people going to buy fuel to power a smart city? Fuel is very expensive now. The reason people rely on electricity is because it is cheaper, and consumers see it as a fundamental service that government should provide. Honestly, the poor or non-supply of electricity will definitely affect Governor Soludo’s smart city dream,” he said.
“I am sure the government is already thinking in the direction of allowing private sector energy providers to power the smart city dream. But for now, since these things are not yet in place, the government should regulate the sector and should not allow citizens to suffer untold hardship due to the inefficiency of an organization,” he added.
Obi said that residents are currently facing hardship at the hands of EEDC and First Power because there is no competition in the sector.
He noted that if there were another independent organization providing electricity, First Power would be forced to improve its services.
“Just like what is happening in Abia State, Aba Power is doing well by providing electricity to the people. The government can engage investors to replicate such a model here. One cluster may serve Awka, another may take Nnewi or Onitsha.
“EEDC came into the sector like a player sitting on a gold mine; it simply took over everything and is now enjoying monopoly.
“As I said earlier, the three major components of electricity distribution are cables, transformers and meters. Most of the transformers in Anambra are obsolete. Much energy is lost during transmission and through faulty transformers, yet consumers are forced to pay for these losses. Why must consumers pay for the incompetence and operational challenges of First Power or EEDC in the state?” he lamented.
“We need prepaid meters in our homes, not estimated billing. First Power and EEDC are exploiting consumers through estimated billing. There is no proper computerized tracking of the amount of electricity consumed by individual consumers. They simply issue bills even when the energy has been lost in transmission,” he said.
“What we are saying is this: if supply is poor nationwide, why should First Power charge consumers for electricity that does not exist? We are asking for prepaid meters. Do not transfer your inefficiency and operational challenges to consumers,” he said.
Obi said the proposed rally he was planning with electricity consumers for the 14th of March ahead of the governor’s swearing-in on the 17th had nothing to do with the governor’s inauguration.
“There is no way I will work with electricity consumers to destabilize a state that I love so much and where I wish to live and die. What we want is for the governor to know that the people of Anambra are suffering. He may not be fully aware that people are being exploited by First Power, and we want him to intervene and do something about it,” he said.
Obi added that the protest was to draw the attention of the state government to the plight of Ndi Anambra in the hands of First Power so that the governor could intervene and save the people.
Obi said that if the current trend of exploitation and extortion continues unchecked, electricity consumers may eventually take the law into their own hands.
“Various communities may begin to resist any attempt by First Power officials to enter their communities to carry out any electricity-related activities. That situation could degenerate into violence and anarchy,” Obi said.