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.
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