The Imo State Government has accused the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) of planning “massive power outages” in the state.
EEDC is the power distribution company responsible for electricity supply in south-eastern Nigeria.
The Commissioner for Information in Imo State, Declan Emelumba, in a statement on Sunday, stated that the alleged planned power outage by the EEDC was intended to sabotage the Light Up Imo Project, an electricity initiative of the state government.
Mr Emelumba claimed without evidence that the state government had obtained “credible intelligence” of the alleged plans by EEDC management to “unleash major power outages” in Imo State.
He further claimed that the government has “ample evidence” indicating the EEDC’s plan was to frustrate and sabotage the state’s electricity project, which will soon provide uninterrupted electricity to all parts of the state.
“The government has always known that the management of EEDC will want to hold on to its current monopoly of providing erratic electricity to Imo people at exorbitant tariffs.
“The idea behind the planned massive power outage by EEDC is to turn around and blame the installation process of the Orashi Electricity Company, the state government’s licensed company, for the blackouts,” he said.
Mr Emelumba claimed the EEDC has already prepared a statement in which the firm would blame the state government and Orashi Electricity Company for the outages.
“This is a ploy to turn Imo people against the company and also create the false impression that the company lacks the technical knowledge and capacity to function,” he claimed.
The commissioner added that the EEDC is already aware that the first phase of the Light Up Imo Project will significantly cover the entire Owerri metropolis and is therefore afraid of losing its monopoly and the attendant revenue.
“That is the reason for this desperation,” he claimed.
He said the state government had alerted the security agencies in the state over the alleged plot by the EEDC.
“The government is, by this statement, putting Imo people on notice of this unholy plan by EEDC to inflict avoidable hardship and huge losses to businesses through this wicked plan to throw the state into darkness anytime from today or tomorrow,” he said.
‘Allegation baseless, unfounded,’ EEDC speaks
When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES, the EEDC spokesperson, Emeka Eze, denied the allegations.
Mr Ezeh, in a statement forwarded to this newspaper on Sunday night, described the allegation as “baseless, unfounded, and completely devoid of truth.”
“We therefore advise our esteemed customers in Imo State and the general public to disregard the claim in its entirety, as EEDC has no intention whatsoever to carry out any ‘major power outages’ in the state,” he said.
Continuing, the spokesperson added, “However, we urge all our customers in Imo State to note that if any power outage occurs from this moment onward, the responsible party is clear.
“The state government, having raised false alarms and made unfounded, unverified, and baseless accusations against EEDC, should be held accountable.”
Mr Ezeh accused the Imo State Government of choosing “the path of propaganda as a means of diverting public attention and masking its longstanding hostility toward EEDC.”
He urged the state government to provide an enabling environment for licensed operators to function effectively, rather than “frustrating their operations through the use of state machinery.”
Imo’s electricity project
The “Light Up Imo Project” is an initiative by the Imo State Government to provide reliable electricity across the state.
The project involves a joint effort between the state and local governments, with the Orashi Power Project playing a key role in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity within the state.
The Orashi Electricity Distribution Company began its operations in Imo State after it was licensed by the Imo State Government.
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The licensing of the electricity firm in Imo State followed the enactment of the Electricity Act of 2023, which authorised the state governments to generate, transmit and distribute electricity.
Previous blackout
Meanwhile, the Imo State Government’s allegation that the EEDC was plotting “massive power outages” in Imo came barely one week after some parts of the state experienced a three-day blackout.
PREMIUM TIMES had reported that some parts of Imo were plunged into darkness on 17 November, following the withdrawal of services by electricity workers.
The withdrawal of services by the electricity workers followed an allegation that some armed police operatives had invaded the Egbu 132/33kV Transmission Substation in Owerri, the state capital, on 15 November.
