Consumers protest power outage, high electricity bill in Kogi, demand for prepaid meters.

By Correspondent in Lokoja.

There was an uneasy calm at Zone Eight, Otokiti Housing Estate, and Shettima, Lokoja, kogi State on Monday as residents of the two startegic areas on Monday, stagged a peaceful protest to detest hike electricity bills and inadequate supply of power.

Our Correspondent gathered that the  protesters,in their hundreds, carrying play cards of various inscriptions, chanting ''NO LIGHT, NO WORK'',thronged the office of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) at Makaji shopping Complex, Otokiti to register their dismay over the two anomalies in the services of the company.

 Mr. Abdulaziz Shuaibu, who resides in Otokiti Estate, described the electricity bills being distributed monthly by the company as being unrealistic when compared to the power supplied to consumers.

Mr. Shuaibu, therefore, urged  AEDC to supply electricity meters to the people of the area to avoid unnecessary hike or estimated billing , adding that many people could not afford the high bill.

Contributing,Mrs. Magdalene Obaje, expressed disgust  that her children were affected by heat rashes due to inadequate power supply, stressing that the charges by AEDC did  not equate the electricity supplied to the area.

Mrs Obaje called on government to come to the aid of the people, stressing that life had become difficult, especially with many small scale businesses which she noted had  collapsed due to lack of power supply.

Mr Emmanuel Bamidele,whose house is a stone throw to AEDC office at GRA, also condemned the power outage and "unjustifiable hike" in electricity bill being distributed to consumers every month.

"AEDC finds it difficult to convey me and other electricity consumers that, the high electricity bill they are giving us is commensurate with the amount and quality of light they supply.

"It is high time AEDC looked into this serious issue to ensure Justice in the use of electricity and the high bill,"

Responding, Kogi State  AEDC Regional Manager, Commercial, Mr. Segun Ebuka appealed to  the protesters to remain calm, assuring them that the company would put measures in place towards proffering lasting solution to the two problems.

 He promised to make special request to satisfy the customers at all cost.

Our reports the development prompted instant peace meeting between some representatives of the affected communities and AEDC Staff to find lasting solution.

The Reporters recalls that a career Diplomat,Amb. Godknows Igali, about two weeks ago during a public function, advised the incoming administration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to do all within its power to fix the nation's power sector on assumption of the leadership of Nigeria.

He said this became necessary to pave way for the emergence of a robust power sector and boost the economy.

He gave the advice on Tuesday when he delivered the Inaugural Engineer Makoju Annual lecture series at the Federal University, Lokoja in honour of the late Engr.(Dr) Joseph Oyeyani Makoju.

The quest lecturer spoke on "The Apogee of National Service and Vision for the Nigerian Power Sector: Reflection on the Life and times of Engr (Dr) Joseph Oyeyani Makoju".

He, however, expressed worry that despite all the changes and reforms made in the energy sector over the years,Nigeria electricity supply industry remained "lethargic, wasteful,and unable to play its critical role in the national economy.

"For a country that is greatly endowed with multiple sources, it is a sad reality that these changes have not been fully tapped. We also need to build more dams around the Benue River system," he said.

Edited by Dada Ahmed.