Hon Ibe Okwara Makes Case For Ohafia Communities At National Assembly Over 5 Years Non-Power Supply [Video]

Member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency of Abia State, Hon. Ibe Okwara Osonwa has presented a petition before the House of Representatives against Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), seeking explanations on why some communities in his constituency, particularly Ohafia, Abiriba, and Nkporo communities all in Ohafia local government area have been denied power supply for five years, yet exorbitant bills are presented to them.

He laid the petition on Tuesday during plenary presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu.

A group known as Ohafia Connect in the petition on behalf of the communities signed by Mr Emmanuel Ibekwe (Chairman) and Barr. Eme Ekpu (Legal Adviser) accused EEDC of extortion and harassment.

Hon. Osonwa shortly after presenting the bill told ABN TV that the communities are seeking explanation on how they accumulated a bill of N2.1bn despite not having power supply for five years.

According to him, several attempts have been made towards the amicable resolution of the perpetual darkness in the affected communities but to no avail.

He said despite efforts made by Abia State deputy governor, Ikechukwu Emetu who is from the affected area to ensure that the communities celebrate Christmas with power supply, it wasn’t achieved.

Hon. Osonwa expressed gratitude to Governor Alex Otti for his relentless support towards ensuring that the impasse is amicably resolved.

“The Deputy Governor did all he could within his power, from replacing fallen poles, to replacing lines that were down. A lot of money has been spent”, he noted.

According to him, the EEDC claimed that one of the lingering issues is alleged vandalism, which the governor and his deputy have agreed to resolve.

He said the most worrisome of the issues raised by EEDC is the over N2bn debt awarded against the communities, wondering how it was accumulated.

“What they are telling us is that we should pay the money and they will give us power, but we are telling them to supply us power, then we resolve that so called outstanding debt”, he stated.

He insists that the estimated billing awarded against the communities by EEDC is unjustified and unwarranted, saying his father who died nearly three years ago was awarded an outstanding debt of N600,000 in his house, wondering how they came about it.