A civil society group, Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) has berated Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) for allegedly distributing darkness instead of electricity to the people of South East of Nigeria, insisting that the company will meet their demands or leave the region.
The group stated that people of the region were unable to abide by social distancing instruction as a way to curb the spread of COVID-19 as a result of the failure of EEDC to provide power for people to stay at home instead of converging in public places to make use of power generator, adding that EEDC is too dark to be their source of power supply.
In a release jointly signed by the President-General of COSEYL, Chief Goodluck Egwu Ibem, and Secretary-General, Comrade Kanice Igwe made available to ABN TV, while describing the company as anti-development, anti-people and joy killers, the group said the Federal government must decentralise power distribution to pave way for competitors or the EEDC should get ready to go.
“For adding insult to the injuries of our people and for exposing our people to more dangers during this lockdown, the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) should get ready for South-East Youths.
“Their owners may be connected to every office in Abuja, but the wrath of the people must surely make these friends of theirs think twice before associating with them because they are not worth associating with.
“A company meant to serve our people, be friendly with us and help us develop has suddenly metamorphosed into a monster and is degenerating into an anti-business, anti-people company and a total killjoy.
“A lockdown was directed by the government of our various states as a precautionary measure to the spread of the coronavirus. People were forced to stay at home and they obeyed the directives as law-abiding people. But EEDC decided that they’ll make the lockdown more painful for our people for just no reason.
“Those who bought perishable foodstuffs saw their hard-earned money wasted because EEDC decided people must suffer. Daily youths who should stay at home are seen trooping out in their numbers to play football or moving about with phone chargers looking for where to power their batteries.
“EEDC worked against the Social Distancing directive in the South East by deliberately pushing our people to converge either to charge their phones or to meet in a place where a sign of light is seen to clear the boring nature of their homes.
“This company has demonstrated similar recklessness in the past and everyone kept quiet, but this time around, by the grace of God when we survive COVID-19, the South East will face EEDC squarely because their mission here is sinister and their vision is extremely ominous.
“From Enugu to Abakiliki, Onitsha to Awka, Nnewi to Owerri, Aba to Umuahia down to Ohafia, Okigwe to Orlu and Nsukka to Ngwo, we shall stage a peaceful demonstration against the wickedness of EEDC for the whole world to see.
“Their media PR cannot save them and the connection of their owners and shareholders with people in Abuja will not stop us for we cannot be suffering and smiling anymore” the group said.
They vowed to stage a peaceful protest simultaneously in all the South East States to drive their demand for efficient service delivery from the company.
“It’ll be a simultaneous peaceful demonstration and the date will be announced as we continue to pray to God to intervene in this COVID-19 problem.
“Nobody will be left out because they’re causing pain to all of us. Our Governors will be aware, our Senators will be aware, our House of Representatives Members will be aware, including all our five State Assemblies.
“Professional bodies like all the branches of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) in the South East will be aware because they’re needed in this move.
“All the Civil Society Groups in the South East will know about it. Our sociocultural groups will be informed and of course, the police will be informed before we shall move. No loophole will be left.
“This demonstration is long overdue. From our discovery, EEDC’s mission is to suffer and impoverish our people and their vision is to leave south-east underdeveloped and in perpetual darkness and we are saying a big no to them.
“How can a company that operates as an electricity company suddenly become an agent of darkness? Why do they enjoy seeing people in darkness? Even if it’s a curse, we’ll help them reject it.
“This nonsense must stop. Federal Government must have to look into the activities of these Electricity Distribution Companies especially the EEDC? They can’t be allowed to continue this wickedness.
“Electricity distribution should not be monopolized. In Abia State, they have a company called Geometric that can generate and distribute electricity which was built by an individual, yet EEDC still uses their monopoly to be crippling important and creative cities like Aba, Onitsha, Enugu, Owerri, Abakiliki just to mention a few.
“The competition in the communication industry today is because the competition was allowed. This issue of politicians buying shares in the various Discos in their regions who have become even worst than the old NEPA must stop.
“Our demands will be simple and more may come after consultations: help Geometric come to start operating in Abia State at least and open up bidding for more Discos to come in so that people can make their choices.
“If that becomes difficult, then EEDC should pack and go. We’re better off without them than with them” it concluded.
