Load shedding: FCT residents decry inequitable power distribution, urges fairness

 

Many residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have decried the inequitable distribution of power to their homes and business premises.

 

The residents appealed to the Abuja Electricity  Distribution Company (AEDC) to ensure that the current load shedding is done fairly.

 

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday that they have not had electricity for almost five consecutive days.

 

The poor power supply or blackouts in some parts of the Territory had lingered for almost two months.

 

AEDC had attributed the poor supply to its franchise areas to low power generation from the national grid.

 

Mr Donald Etim, the AEDC Chief Marketing Officer, had said this in a statement issued in Abuja on March 4.

 

“The AEDC wishes to inform our customers in Kogi, Niger, Nasarawa and the FCT that the current low and unstable supply of electricity to homes and businesses is as a result of low power generated to the national grid.

 

“In recent weeks, the level of power generated and served to the national grid for onward delivery to customers has been abysmally low,” Etim said.

 

This according to AEDC has led to load shedding currently being experienced in the Territory.

 

Electricity consumers residing in Nyanya, Lugbe, Kubwa , Prince and Princess Estate, Area 3,  Gaduwa and environs  told NAN that they have not had light for days.

 

According to them, inspite of the load-shedding, some areas have constant power supply, while other areas dont have at all.

 

Mr Peter Otabor, a Pharmacist residing in Gaduwa Estate said “we know AEDC is load-shedding light but they should ensure that it is equitably distributed to all”.

 

Otabor said that for close to two days, there was no light in the estate but other areas had light.

 

“I know there is low power supply currently on in the country, so if they want to give us light for two hours, so be it, I dont like a situation where some will have and others don’t have,” he said.

 

Mrs Juliet Okojie, who resides at Prince and Princess  Estate, Gudu, also coroborated what Otabor said.

 

Okojie said that the little power available should go round everybody.

 

Mr Eramus Okon, a banker who resides at Area 3, decried the poor power supply to the area, saying it had worsened in the last two months.

 

Okon said “we have only had light four times for few hours in the last three weeks”, a situation he said had affected his daily routine.

 

“You know I am a banker and I close late from work,  I only cook once a week every Saturday but with this light situation, I cannot do that.

 

“I am appealing to AEDC to give us light even for two or three hours a day,” he said.

 

Mr Smart Okeke, who owns a cold room at Lugbe told NAN that he had to put on his generator every day for close to 10 hours to preserve his goods.

 

“Cold room business is not easy to manage without light,  so I have to look for diesel for my generator to power my cold room.

 

“I  know about the low power supply and load-shedding but I will be happy if AEDC can give us light for five hours a day, “he said.

 

In Kubwa, Mrs Ese Williams, who reside in Phase 2, Kubwa Extension said there had been no stable light in the area for close to three weeks.

 

According to Williams, even when the light comes, it is so low that it cannot carry fridge or even fan.

 

“I have thrown away the perishable food stuff I stored in my freezer as they had all gone bad.

 

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“I am appealing to AEDC to rectify the fault and give us light even if it for five hours a day, ” she said.

 

A fashion designer also in Kubwa, Mrs Shola Akinremi  said lack of stable electricity supply in the area had continued to affect her business, saying that she could not meet up her customers’ needs.

 

Akinremi said that it was very difficult for her to sew at night as her generator was faulty.

 

When contacted, Mr Donald Etim, AEDC’s Chief Marketing Officer told NAN that parts of Lugbe, Kubwa, Area 3 and environs were experiencing poor power supply due to faults.

 

Etim said that AEDC team were working assiduously to ensure that those faults were quickly resolved to ensure consumers  get steady power supply.

 

“We are not happy about this and our team are working to ensure these faults are rectified  quickly, “he said.

 

 

(NAN)