Power outage killing our businesses, Enugu residents cry out
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Residents of the Ologo, Coal Camp, and Uwani areas of the Enugu metropolis have decried the persistent power outage in the area, which has spanned over one week, and appealed to relevant authorities for assistance.
A cross-section of the residents, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Tuesday, called for Gov. Peter Mbah’s intervention to restore power supply to the area.
They said that the lack of power supply was affecting their businesses, households and means of livelihood.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that MainPower Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MPECL) issued a statement on August 4, blaming the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) for the development.
According to the company, the reduction followed the decision by the Enugu Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC) to slash the electricity tariff for Band A from N209 per kWh to N160 per kWh.
NAN reports that since the directive came into effect on August 1, electricity consumers in Bands B to E have been left in darkness in parts of the city, crippling many economic activities.
A welder at the Mechanic Shop in Coal Camp, Obum Chijioke, said that he had spent a lot of money on fuel to do his job, adding that he went home empty-handed.
According to him, it has not been easy for us in the past week as we spend the little we make on fuel.
Chijioke appealed to the relevant authorities to urgently investigate the problem and restore the energy.
A cleric in a church on Zik Avenue, who spoke anonymously, said that the church had been using diesel for its activities, including services, and it was 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,”.
A retail shop operator, Mrs Chika Alejim, decried the situation, saying that it had affected her business.
She said she had not been able to chill her drinks and sachet water, which were the mainstay of her business.
According to her, the business was no longer booming, unlike it had been before, thereby affecting her profits and incurring additional 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 due to power outage,” she said.
In the same vein, Mr Charles Ako, a business centre operator, told NAN that he no longer copes with the huge cost of keeping the centre functional.
“I have stopped those undergoing computer training due to the absence of a power supply.
“I use little fuel, I have to do photocopying and printing when a customer comes.
“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.
Also speaking, a housewife, Mrs. Ukamaka Ugwu, described the effect of a lack of power supply as serious, saying that it had increased the family’s daily expenses.
She said she had stopped cooking in large quantities because there was no electricity to preserve the food.
“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
Meanwhile, EERC, in a statement on Aug. 10, said steps were being taken to resolve the power shortage.
The commission revealed that it had met with both EEDC and MainPower in a bid to restore normalcy.
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