Polycarp Sola -Abakaliki
The residents of Azugwu, Abakaliki, in the Ebonyi State capital have shut down the office of the Enugu Electrical Distribution Company (EEDC), located at Awolowo Street, over a 3-month blackout.
This led to the interruption of business activities at the EEDC office on Tuesday, which lasted for hours.
It would be recalled that the residents had protested earlier to inform the electrical company about the lingering blackout, which has caused hardship and economic challenges to business owners in the area, as well as harsh living conditions for them due to the current heatwave.
However, on Tuesday, the residents came out in large numbers—men and women, young and elderly—to display their grievances over the lengthy period of blackout that has collapsed business activities in the area and caused hardship to the people.
“We’ve been passing through difficulties because of EEDC and their activities in Azugwu. In this regard, we wrote a letter to the commissioner of police and the DSS, which we copied to NERC. After meeting with the police authority, we agreed to embark on this peaceful protest to display our anger over the total blackout for months.” Said comrade Orji Joseph, leader of the angry residents.
Speaking for the EEDC, the network manager, Mr. Nwankwo Cyprian, noted the company’s awareness of the situation and explained that there have been a series of meetings with the management, but he could not give a definite date as to when the light would be restored.
He appealed for calmness and assured them that on or before the end of the month of May 2024, positive news would emerge.
As the residents have gone through these hard times, they have expressed once again their hopes that the EEDC will do justice to their plea and restore light, as they have assured. This would further avert the breakdown of law and order in the state as the residents have become impatient over the 3-month blackout.