Power Outages Plague Imo State Residents, EEDC Under Fire
Imo State residents are fuming over the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company’s (EEDC) inability to maintain regular power supply since the beginning of 2024. The situation has led to widespread discontent, with many residents demanding improved services.
Residents in Owerri, the capital territory, are particularly frustrated with the constant blackouts they face daily. Chuka Igwe, a resident of Egbu, Owerri North LGA, expressed his dismay, stating that EEDC has been unfair to them. "Since January this year, the power supply to our area has not been satisfactory. We barely have light for two hours a day and it is affecting businesses. Still, at the end of the month, we receive electricity bills and are compelled to pay," he lamented.
Ephraim Akalonu, owner of a football viewing centre, is exhausted from spending N8,000 to N10,000 on petrol to power his generator each month. He feels that EEDC should improve its services, which have been poor since the beginning of the year. "I spend all my profits on fuel because of poor power supply, and at the end of the month, I receive electricity bills and am expected to pay. This is unacceptable," he said.
Trader Earnest Ekwe at the Old Stadium, Owerri, echoed similar sentiments, saying that the decline in power supply is affecting his business. "We hardly see light and when it comes, it does not stay. This is affecting our business. We know that electricity has never been regular, but since this year, it has not been so good at all," he complained.
Ben Uche, a resident from Irete, described the current situation as a nightmare, with no explanation provided for the unhealthy development. The consistent complaints highlight the negative impact of inadequate power supply on both people and business activities.
The frustration is compounded by the monthly billing, which often runs at variance with energy consumed, leaving residents perplexed about paying for a service not rendered. As the public backlash against EEDC rages, questions are being raised about the reasons behind the deteriorating situation in the sector.
