The Ruse That Is 24/7 Electricity In Aba, And A Tolerable Solution.
Sunday (Eke) 10-11-2024.
Not quite long ago, some sections of the Media in Nigeria, Print, Electronic and Social Media, were awash with the news that Aba Power Limited, a subsidiary of Geometric Power Plant, had started supplying electricity to the commercial city of Aba and its environs on 24/7 hour basis.
That impression has been and should be the expectation of residents of that commercial hub that is Aba. It has to be recalled that the late Governor of Old Imo State, Chief Sam Mbakwe, Ph.D, had, in his Economic Development Plan for the State, designed Aba, particularly the Osisioma area of Aba, as the Industrial Nerve of the State.
As a result of that vision, many Industrialists of Igbo extraction had located many industries in Osisioma. Osisioma and some other parts of Aba became the engine of industrial revolution, not only in Old Imo State but in the whole of South-East and some parts of South-South regions of Nigeria.
Unfortunately, the Governor Sam Mbakwe vision was cut off just in a twinkle of an eye because of the absurdity of a military coup unconstitutionally, recklessly and unjustifiably plotted and executed by Major-General Muhammadu Buhari on 31st December, 1983.
Many of the Industries established in Aba during the time of Governor Sam Mbakwe systematically became moribund due to many factors which included decay of road infrastructure and, more importantly, decline in electricity.
During the Presidency of Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, a former Minister of Power, Professor Bath Nnaji, tried to revamp the gloomy power situation, using his Company, Geometric Power, but met with a lot of frustration. He almost battled disgustingly endlessly with Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC.
Believing and convinced that electricity was the much-needed elixir for industrial rejuvenation of Aba, and, by extension, Abia State, the South-East and South-South regions, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, 2015-2023, took up the responsibility of making sure that Geometric Power would surmount all the hurdles that militated against it. Apart from committing Abia State Government to investing Millions of Dollars in Geometric Power Plant, as Shares for Abia State Government, Governor Ikpeazu visited key International Financial Institutes in the company of Authorities of Geometric Power Plant to guarantee financial assistance to it.
Regrettably, Governor Alexander Otti, in his natural inclination to parochialism, hates anything that has, even, the least mark or signature of former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and, so, would not want his name to be ever mentioned as having played any role in the realisation of the Geometric Power Project. But unfortunately for him, he can not obliterate what is written.
The commissioning of the 181-Megawatt Geometric Power Plant at Osisioma, near Aba, on Monday (Afor) 26th February, 2024, by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, ably represented by the Vice President, Alhaji Kashim Shetimah, GCON, meant a lot of hope for Aba residents, particularly Industrialists. The hope arose mainly from the perception that the Plant was designed to be independent of the National Grid which now collapses almost on weekly basis, as it had or has its turbines directly linked to a major Gas location at Owaza in Ukwa-West Local Government Area of Abia State.
Most unfortunately, the zeal, hope and high expectations consumers of electricity in Aba and its environs had had in the Geometric Power Plant, which commercially operates as Aba Power Limited, APL, have been consumed in disappointment.
Electricity supply by Aba Power Limited is not just epileptic, it is almost non-existent. Even as poor in supply as Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, was said to be, it is almost obvious that it was better than what Aba residents are currently getting from Aba Power Limited.
To add salt to injury, the tariff or bill by Aba Power Limited is extremely on the very high side, even when the Company knows that it hardly supplies electricity to Aba residents.
Whatever the problems confronting Aba Power Limited can only best be known by its Management.
But, be it as it may, the Company should, while trying to solve its problems, provide her customers with Pre-paid Metres. That will help reduce Consumers’ frustration in the hands of Aba Power Limited. If Consumers have Pre-paid Metres, they would be consoled by the fact that the Company will not be subjecting them to all manner of exploitations, through an Estimated Billing.
The earlier the Company stops the use of this archaic and exploitative method of Estimated Billing, and replaces it with modern and justifiable Pre-paid Metres, as approved by Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, the earlier and better it would save the Company from many avoidable litigations by customers who may not take kindly to attempts by field Officers of the Company to disconnect them and go with their wires.
Again, it is important that Aba Power Limited takes judicial notice of stipulations by Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, that provision of Pre-paid Metres is the sole responsibility of the Distribution Company. A situation where Aba Power Limited will be demanding her customers to pay for Pre-paid Metres will be unlawful ,condemnable, unacceptable and could expose the Company to a barrage of litigations. Already, the Federal Government of Nigeria, under National Mass Metering Programme, NMMP, has made adequate provisions for Pre-paid Metres to be supplied to Electricity Consumers in Nigeria.
Sir Don Ubani; KSC, JP,
Okwubunka of Asa and Oke Amadi Gburugburu is a former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Abia State, and writes from his native Asa land, beautifully situated between Aba in Abia State and Port-Harcourt in Rivers State.
