BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
MEMBER representing Afikpo North/South Federal Constituency, Ebonyi State, in the House of Representatives, Iduma Igariwey, has slammed a N100million suit against Enugu Electricity Distribution Company for refusing to provide power for the constituency.
Recall that there has been total blackout in the constituency, especially Afikpo, for over five years.
The lawmaker said he had spent millions of naira on diesel for his electricity generating plant following the failure of EEDC to supply power to the constituency.
He said he had gathered all the receipts for the diesel which he would tender before the court as exhibit.
Igariwey spoke in Ukpa, Afikpo, Afikpo North Local Government Area of the state while briefing his constituents on his achievements.
He regretted that the suit had suffered a setback because the Judge handling the matter was on election duty and vowed that he would pursue the case to its logical conclusion.
He explained that he had provided electricity transformer to some communities in the constituency and implored EEDC to be alive to its responsibilities.
The lawmaker described the power company as incompetent and wondered why the Federal Government had refused to revoke its licence.
He said, “As I speak now, I and EEDC are in court. The case has suffered a setback because the judge was on election duty in Port-Harcourt. Because at a time, I even had to sue them for N100milion for certain deprivations I have suffered from them. I want our people to know that electricity is privatized. It was privatized in 2005.
“The first people to hold responsible for power problems are the Distribution Companies(DISCO), they are the distribution agencies. In this our case, the company we must ask questions about this power of a thing is the EEDC.
“I took up their issue at the floor of Parliament through a petition that was written against them and they have been invited for more than 10 times. I have sponsored those trips privately for them to come and explain a whole lot of things.”
“It is now very clear to everybody that EEDC, which was given the mandate to be supplying power to Afikpo people and the entire South-East are not up to their job,” he claimed.
