Residents of the Ologo, Coal Camp, and Uwani areas of the Enugu metropolis in Enugu State have decried the over-one-week-long power outage.
They are appealing to the relevant authorities to come to their aid.
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A cross-section of the residents who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Tuesday called for Governor Peter Mbah’s intervention to restore the area’s power supply.
They said that lack of power was affecting their businesses, households and means of livelihood.
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How the problem began
NAN recalled that the MainPower Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MPECL) issued a statement on 4 August blaming the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) for the development.
According to the company, the reduction followed the Enugu Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC)’s decision to slash electricity tariffs for Band A from N209 to N160 per kWh.
NAN reports that since the directive came into effect on 1 August, electricity consumers on Bands B to E have been thrown into darkness in parts of the city, crippling many economic activities.
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A welder at the Mechanic Shop in Coal Camp, Obum Chijioke, said he spends a lot of money on fuel to do his job and usually returns home without profit.
He said it has not been easy for him and others in the past week as they have spent their little earnings on fuel.
Mr Chijioke appealed to the relevant authorities to look into the problem urgently and restore power to the area.
A cleric in a church on Zik Avenue, who did not want his name mentioned in the report, said that the church has been using diesel for its activities, including services, and that this is taking a toll on them.
“We spend between N25,000 and N30,000 on diesel daily for our activities, and it is not easy at all,” he said.
A retail shop operator, Chika Alejim, decried the situation, saying that it has affected her business.
She said she was unable to chill her drinks and sachet water, which were the mainstay of her business.
According to her, the business was no longer booming, unlike before, which had affected her profits and caused her to incur more expenses.
“I buy fuel of N20,000 daily; I spend N10,000 on fuel in the morning and another N10,000 at night, and all these expenses eat deep into my profits.
“Also, the ice fish and meat, which I sell to support the provision store, got spoiled because of a power outage,” she said.
Charles Ako, a business centre operator, told NAN he could no longer afford the enormous cost of keeping the centre functional.
“I have stopped those undergoing computer training due to the absence of a power supply. When a customer comes, I use the little fuel I have to do photocopying and printing.
“I don’t know when the power issue will be sorted out; I am appealing to those concerned to help Enugu people because we are suffering,” he said.
A housewife, Ukamaka Ugwu, described the effect of lack of power supply as “serious”, saying that it has pushed up the family’s daily expenses.
She said she stopped cooking in large quantities because there was no electricity to power the freezer, which would have helped to preserve the food.
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“I now cook every two days, thereby incurring extra expenses. Not only this, we find it difficult to charge our phones, torches, and even to see at night.
“Government should help us because it is getting out of hand,” she said.
Regulator speaks
Meanwhile, EERC, in a statement on 10 August, said steps were being taken to resolve the power shortage.
The commission revealed that it had met with both the EEDC and Main Power in a bid to restore power supply.
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