REJOINDER: EEDC Addresses Misinformation, Allegations Against Company, Affirms Commitment To Customers — Journalist201 – May 7, 2024

REJOINDER: EEDC Addresses Misinformation, Allegations Against Company, Affirms Commitment To Customers — Journalist201 – May 7, 2024 Intro: ...

REJOINDER: EEDC Addresses Misinformation, Allegations Against Company, Affirms Commitment To Customers — Journalist201 – May 7, 2024

Intro: We are not under any obligation to reply a company such as Enugu Electricity Distribution Company(EEDC) which lacks corporate social responsibility, engaging in psychological operation, embarking on shadow chasing, displaying “Nigeria as usual” media narrative and notorious for taking first position in corruption and aggrandizement. However, for the sake of clarity, posterity and records, this response is geared towards showing two things: 1. That two can play this circus game and, 2. That the academic exercise embarked upon is a favor that will be returned.

Overview: The journey of Nigeria’s downward trend started when the military removed a democratic government through a coup d’etat. Recall that the leadership of eastern Nigeria under Dr. Michael Okpara was heavily invested in electricity owing to the industrialization policy of the government at the time. It is impossible to not observe that the military government of Yakubu Gowon, the beneficiary of the ethnic cleansing that was the July, 1966 coup d’etat, presided over a nation in decline. There is no way to explain the disaster that is Nigeria. Every Ministry, Department and Agency, MDA, turned out a total disaster. After the ouster of Buhari, the epileptic power supply under 8 years of Babangida was torturous. Surely, billions were budgeted and ended in offshore accounts in Bahamas or elsewhere or in private pockets of cronies. One of the persons close to the military administrators was Emeka Offor of EEDC.

Fast-forward to 1999 under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. It is on record that Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project(SERAP) dragged the former president to court over the sharing of 16 billion dollars that he and his lackeys, including Emeka Offor, shared without improving the megawatt of Nigeria electricity that was at a meager 3500 megawatts to 4500 megawatts from the national grid, for an estimated population of 200 million people. Meanwhile, South Africa with a population of 58.89 million people has 58,095 megawatts. From Gowon through Obasanjo to Jonathan, it has been squander mania. The two periods of bigoted Buhari was worse than stagnation and beyond description. 

The sad story of how Enugu Electricity Distribution Company(EEDC) won the bid process for eastern Nigeria during the privatization of power sector under Goodluck Jonathan, was very troubling. Below is just a recap. Geometrics Power owned by Prof. Barth Nnaji had all the technical know-how and the capacity to deliver, haven built a world class power station in Aba, preparatory for what everyone knew would be a walkover bid process. Surprisingly, Interstate Electrics owned by Emeka Offor or should I say “fronted to be the owner” was announced the winner after it failed to meet the August 21, 2013 deadline for payment. Namadi Sambo, former vice president, who had vested interest in the company overruled the Bureau of Public Enterprise(BPE) granted IE two weeks extension. The rest is history.

Reading through the academic exercise intended for addressing what EEDC called Misinformation, refuting allegations against EEDC and affirming commitment to customers, one wonders at the part that misinforms, alleges or guarantee commitment. For instance, the bogus explanation regarding generation and transmission is a rehash and regurgitation of what critics say. At the end, the only proven evidence is the admission of the crux of the matter. What is the crux? That is, is Southeast in darkness? Is EEDC over billing? Are the people of Southeast paying for non-supplied electricity? Are communities in the east issued estimated meter bills? Is it true that EEDC lacks the capacity to deliver steady to the east for industrial revolution? The answers to these questions are affirmative.

As for the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, it the duty of Anambra State governor, Chukwuma Soludo to make open to the stakeholders what is contained in the document he signed and displayed to the media. It is not the duty of EEDC to address what is entirely an accountability demand of concerned citizens from an elected official.

As for Emeka Offor, the only legacy he can boast of in the entire east is a poorly constructed fourth class plaza close to Onitsha main market, a pirate radio at Oraifite his home town, and the EEDC which is notorious for ripping off the entire east. That is not much of an achievement.

Conclusion: The Indigenous People of Biafra are the owners of the land. EEDC has been given notice which will expire at the end of this Biafra history month. What EEDC needs to do is to apologize and leave. Not engage in smear or game of circus.

Written by Journalist201

For Family Writers Press International