The Imo State Government has formally accused the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company
(EEDC) of deliberately planning to sabotage the state’s electricity supply project known as the “Light Up Imo Project.”
According to a statement by the Imo State Commissioner for Information, Declan Emelumba, the government claims to have obtained credible intelligence that EEDC intends to unleash massive power outages across Imo State.
The government alleges that this plan is aimed at disrupting the electricity supply to sabotage the operations of the newly licensed Orashi Electricity Company, part of the Light Up Imo initiative, which aims to provide reliable and uninterrupted electricity throughout the state.
The Imo government further claims that EEDC is motivated by a desire to maintain its monopoly over electricity distribution in the state, despite providing erratic power supply at high tariffs.
The state argues that EEDC fears losing its control and revenue streams, especially since the Light Up Imo Project’s first phase will cover Owerri metropolis, threatening EEDC’s existing market dominance.
They allege that EEDC has even prepared a statement to blame any resultant blackouts on the state government and Orashi Electricity Company to undermine public confidence in the new initiative and portray it as technically incompetent.
On the other hand, the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has strongly denied these allegations. The company’s spokesperson, Emeka Eze, described the accusations as baseless, unfounded, and devoid of truth.
EEDC urges the public to disregard the claims and insists it has no intention to cause any deliberate power outage.
Instead, the company accused the Imo State Government of propaganda to divert public attention and create hostility against EEDC, suggesting the government is obstructing the operations of licensed electricity operators like Orashi through state machinery rather than fostering a cooperative environment.
The conflict traces back to the enactment of the Electricity Act of 2023, which empowered state governments in Nigeria to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity independently.
Imo State seized this opportunity to license the Orashi Electricity Company to enhance local power supply reliability as part of its Light Up Imo Project.
This new development apparently unsettled the EEDC, which has historically been the primary electricity distribution company in the southeastern region, including Imo State.
The recent blackout episodes in some parts of Imo, which lasted for about three days, have intensified this confrontation.
The government of Imo believes the blackout was part of EEDC’s broader strategy to destabilize the state’s electricity plans.
The state government has reportedly alerted security agencies to this perceived attempt at sabotage.
The government warns residents to anticipate possible power disruptions, framing such outages as intentional efforts by EEDC to inflict hardship on the populace and disrupt businesses.
This escalation signals a serious rift between the state government and the distribution company, rooted in competition for control of electricity provision.
Meanwhile, EEDC blames the state government for the emerging chaos, arguing that the false accusations are destabilizing to the power sector.
They suggest that if outages occur, the responsibility lies with the state government itself, which they accuse of a longstanding hostile stance against them.
EEDC calls for a more enabling environment for licensed operators to function effectively, implying that the state’s approach is more about political maneuvering than genuine service improvement.
In summary, the ongoing tension involves the Imo State Government’s push to assert control over electricity generation and distribution through the Light Up Imo Project and the Orashi Electricity Company, while EEDC resists these changes, determined to retain its traditional monopoly.
The accusations of sabotage and the denials thereof highlight a broader power struggle with serious implications for electricity service reliability and governance in Imo State.
This saga underscores the complexities of electricity sector reforms in Nigeria, particularly as regulatory changes empower states to directly manage power services previously dominated by a few distribution companies.