AEDC: WHAT IS NORMAL ABOUT THIS?

AEDC: WHAT IS NORMAL ABOUT THIS?

After the publication of my story in a national daily recently with the title: “Help, Abuja Electricity DISCO is extorting us!” Bode Fadipe, GM, Corporate Communications, AEDC, sent a message through my Facebook Page seeking my attention to get more information about my complaints.

In my published article, I complained that the electricity units worth N5,100 last only for three days even without the use of appliances that consume so electricity. And in the situation where one uses the same N5,100 to buy units, where he or she watches only television, charges his phones and does very little things with electricity after the recharge of the meter, the durability takes not more than two to three weeks. Thereafter, I wondered how poor people can cope with the use of power when many people cannot not even eat twice in a day. How can such people afford to use electricity in their homes, or is the system not designed for the poor?

However, an AEDC representative was sent to where I work to check our meter. I told the GM it is a general problem that is being experienced by many Nigerians. The next day, someone called from AEDC to inform me that he was on his way to my place of work to check our meter. I waited for more than two hours without seeing anyone.

I called to find out if he was actually coming but he said that something came up and he went somewhere else. What should I call that? After two weeks of not seeing AEDC in my work place to check our meter as promised, I sent the following message: “It is unfortunate you people are only interested in 419ning Nigerians rather than providing them the needed services. As a journalist, I will be relentless in exposing the activities of the so-called AEDC and other electricity distribution companies in the country. What goes around, comes around. You cheat people and you will be equally short changed.”

After reading the above message, another person was sent to come over and this time around, he came, checked our meter and said it was working perfectly!

So, AEDC has now normalised its exploitative activities and wants us to applaud them by doing so. If N5,000 worth of electricity cannot last for more than three days but it is still normal, then I would like to ask for the definition of normal.

Nigerians should not sit down and watch this gets out of hand.

 

Awunah Pius Terwase,

Mpape, Abuja

 

Related Articles