The Imo State Authorities has accused the Enugu Electrical energy Distribution Firm (EEDC) of planning “huge energy outages” within the state.
EEDC is the facility distribution firm liable for electrical energy provide in south-eastern Nigeria.
The Commissioner for Data in Imo State, Declan Emelumba, in a press release on Sunday, said that the alleged deliberate energy outage by the EEDC was meant to sabotage the Gentle Up Imo Venture, an electrical energy initiative of the state authorities.
Mr Emelumba claimed with out proof that the state authorities had obtained “credible intelligence” of the alleged plans by EEDC administration to “unleash main energy outages” in Imo State.
He additional claimed that the federal government has “ample proof” indicating the EEDC’s plan was to frustrate and sabotage the state’s electrical energy venture, which is able to quickly present uninterrupted electrical energy to all components of the state.
“The federal government has at all times identified that the administration of EEDC will wish to maintain on to its present monopoly of offering erratic electrical energy to Imo folks at exorbitant tariffs.
“The concept behind the deliberate huge energy outage by EEDC is to show round and blame the set up technique of the Orashi Electrical energy Firm, the state authorities’s licensed firm, for the blackouts,” he stated.
Mr Emelumba claimed the EEDC has already ready a press release by which the agency would blame the state authorities and Orashi Electrical energy Firm for the outages.
“It is a ploy to show Imo folks towards the corporate and likewise create the misunderstanding that the corporate lacks the technical data and capability to operate,” he claimed.
The commissioner added that the EEDC is already conscious that the primary part of the Gentle Up Imo Venture will considerably cowl your complete Owerri metropolis and is subsequently afraid of shedding its monopoly and the attendant income.
“That’s the reason for this desperation,” he claimed.
He stated the state authorities had alerted the safety businesses within the state over the alleged plot by the EEDC.
“The federal government is, by this assertion, placing Imo folks on discover of this unholy plan by EEDC to inflict avoidable hardship and big losses to companies by means of this depraved plan to throw the state into darkness anytime from as we speak or tomorrow,” he stated.
‘Allegation baseless, unfounded,’ EEDC speaks
When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES, the EEDC spokesperson, Emeka Eze, denied the allegations.
Mr Ezeh, in a press release forwarded to this newspaper on Sunday night time, described the allegation as “baseless, unfounded, and utterly devoid of reality.”
“We subsequently advise our esteemed clients in Imo State and most people to ignore the declare in its entirety, as EEDC has no intention in any respect to hold out any ‘main energy outages’ within the state,” he stated.
Persevering with, the spokesperson added, “Nevertheless, we urge all our clients in Imo State to notice that if any energy outage happens from this second onward, the accountable social gathering is evident.
“The state authorities, having raised false alarms and made unfounded, unverified, and baseless accusations towards EEDC, must be held accountable.”
Mr Ezeh accused the Imo State Authorities of selecting “the trail of propaganda as a method of diverting public consideration and masking its longstanding hostility towards EEDC.”
He urged the state authorities to supply an enabling atmosphere for licensed operators to operate successfully, reasonably than “irritating their operations by means of the usage of state equipment.”
Imo’s electrical energy venture
The “Gentle Up Imo Venture” is an initiative by the Imo State Authorities to supply dependable electrical energy throughout the state.
The venture includes a joint effort between the state and native governments, with the Orashi Energy Venture taking part in a key position within the technology, transmission, and distribution of electrical energy inside the state.
The Orashi Electrical energy Distribution Firm started its operations in Imo State after it was licensed by the Imo State Authorities.
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The licensing of the electrical energy agency in Imo State adopted the enactment of the Electrical energy Act of 2023, which authorised the state governments to generate, transmit and distribute electrical energy.
Earlier blackout
In the meantime, the Imo State Authorities’s allegation that the EEDC was plotting “huge energy outages” in Imo got here barely one week after some components of the state skilled a three-day blackout.
PREMIUM TIMES had reported that some components of Imo have been plunged into darkness on 17 November, following the withdrawal of companies by electrical energy staff.
The withdrawal of companies by the electrical energy staff adopted an allegation that some armed police operatives had invaded the Egbu 132/33kV Transmission Substation in Owerri, the state capital, on 15 November.
