Standup9ja: Shoe firm accuses AEDC of extortion, vandalism

Standup9ja: Shoe firm accuses AEDC of extortion, vandalism

A shoe industry in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has accused Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) of overbilling it and allegedly vandalizing  its 500KVA transformer.

The company, NAFS Stenograph Nigeria Limited said the transformer was disconnected by AEDC team two days before it was vandalised a fortnight ago.

The shoe manufacturing industry said it started operation recently and applied to AEDC for connection but got poor response so it purchased the transformer, poles and cables with which the industry was powered.

It received its first estimated bill of N170,000 in April, a month after the transformer was energised. NAFS Stenograph said it applied for prepaid meter since February but was yet to have it.

 “We were compelled to pay or risk disconnection,” a statement by one of its executives, Dr Suleiman Sulu-Gambari said.

The company said its bill was raised to N207,000 in May which it described as outrageous; it paid N100,000 and contested the overbilling with the AEDC but later agreed to pay by May ending.

“But alas, on Tuesday, May 23, 2017 AEDC came in a commando style and disconnected the transformer, no prior notice was given.  We pleaded that expatriates were fixing some vital equipment all to no avail.

“The next day, we cleared the balance of N107,000 with the hope of immediate reconnection but AEDC staff stated that it will take them three days before they could connect the transformer.

“By Thursday May 25, 2017, we discovered that the transformer had been vandalised. This wouldn’t have been possible, if AEDC did not disconnect the transformer. The action of AEDC has paralysed the young industry, loss of resources; man hours and trauma are also side effects,” Dr Sulu-Gambari explained.

Responding, the Head of Public Relations and Media at AEDC, Malam Ahmed Shekarau said, “AEDC is saddened by the fact that the transformer was vandalized. With respect to the customer’s complaint about overbilling, we have always encouraged our customers to make such positions known to us and we do our best to resolve such complaints.

“I want to assure you that we will not hesitate to extend such courtesies to NAFS Stenograph Nigeria Limited,” he said vie an email response.