Anambra residents protest monthly electricity bills that exceed national minimum wage

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Iyiowa Odekpe residents protesting exorbitant EEDC biling

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By Madu Obi

Residents of Iyiowa Odekpe in Ogbaru local government area of Anambra State, have protested against electricity bills from the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), claiming that monthly bills for individual households are higher than the country's minimum wage of N70,000.

Waving placards with various inscriptions, the protesters claim that most households in the area receive about N80,000 as monthly electricity bill, even with prepaid meters.

They described the billing in the area as inhuman and outrageous and frowned at the frequent disconnection of their power supply by officials of EEDC.

Some of their placards read: "EEDC's disconnection of our power for three weeks is an attempt to cow us into submission," "Over 80% of those disconnected have prepaid meters," "N80,000 monthly electricity bill is unaffordable," "There is a monthly cap from NERC", and "Stop the over billing now!"

While still demanding immediate provision of prepaid meters for those who do not have them, they also called for the cancellation of accumulated "ridiculous arrears" resulting from inflated bills, and the restoration of electricity supply in the area.

Chief Sunday Obinze, chairman of the Iyiowa Odekpe Landlords and Tenants Association, who decried the hardship imposed on the community by EEDC said:

"We are being exploited and intimidated. We cannot pay these outrageous bills, and no amount of intimidation will cow us into submission.

The bills sent to postpaid users range between N80,000 and N130,000 monthly. How much is Nigeria's minimum wage? How do you expect a civil servant to pay N100,000 for electricity in one month?"

According to him, EEDC disconnected the entire community from power on the grounds that residents were indebted, even though over 80% of consumers use prepaid meters.

Obinze noted that the community previously paid between N18,000 and N28,000 monthly before the recent billing surge, adding that based on information from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the billing cap for their category should be around N31,000 per month—a figure the community said it is willing to pay.

"We are low-income earners and cannot afford bills of N80,000 and above. EEDC is simply exploiting and intimidating us," he said.

In his comment, Dr. Okolie Chukwunonso, the secretary of the association stated that the excessive billing is worsening the economic hardship in the area.

He said that their attempt to dialogue with EEDC about the inflated bills was rebuffed, adding that instead, the company retaliated by cutting off power in the entire community.

"EEDC doesn't listen to our cry. Most of our residents are poor and cannot fight back.It's unthinkable that a community where over 80% of consumers use prepaid meters would be completely disconnected over alleged debts," Chukwunonso stated.

The community called for urgent intervention by the government and regulatory bodies to ensure fair billing, provision of prepaid meters, and restoration of their power supply.