From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
The people of Umueledi community in old Umuahia, Abia State, protested Tuesday what it described as ‘crazy’ electricity bills by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC).
The protesters, carrying a coffin tied with palm fronds, marched around the community chanting war songs.
They later dumped the coffin at the gate of the EEDC office in the area, preventing staff from gaining access into the premises.
One of the protesters who gave his name as Stanley said his people could no longer cope with EEDC’s billing where each household receives a bill of about N35,000 a month without commensurate power supply.
‘Even if we have power supply 24 hours, it is unthinkable that someone living in a two room apartment will be asked to pay N35,000 bill in a month,’ he said.
He maintained that the electricity bills the EEDC invoice to consumers were higher than the national minimum wage, questioning the yardstick the company used in arriving at the amounts it bills them every month.
Stanley said that the community had made a payment amounting to N700,000, which he accused officials of EEDC of not considering.
The community vowed not to remove the coffin until the electricity company listens to their demand of reducing the bills or providing them with meters to ascertain their correct power consumption levels.