Umuanunu community in Obinze, Owerri West council area of Imo stayed without electric power supply for over three months due to a damaged transformer.
Despite the collective efforts of residents, including financial contributions from households, the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) failed to make the necessary repairs.
A resident who spoke to C-Advocate on the condition of anonymity said that the residents were informed that they would need to purchase a new transformer, an expense that was simply beyond the reach of most residents.
The prolonged power outage was having a negative impact on local businesses, schools, and daily life, especially for families in a rapidly growing suburb.
Businesses crumbled and livelihoods deteriorated, with huge financial and social losses.
In response, a concerned Nigerian, attached to the Centre for Social Awareness,
Advocacy and Ethics, owners of C-Advocate newspapers, wrote a petition to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), seeking their intervention and holding EEDC accountable for the situation.
The petition outlined the challenges faced by the community and requested that the EEDC either repaired or replaced the transformer to restore electric power supply to our community.
He hoped that by bringing attention to the issue, NERC would help facilitate a solution and ensure that the rights of electricity consumers were respected.
C- Advocate is pleased to report that following the submission of the petition, the EEDC took appropriate action and repaired the transformer, restoring power to the community.
This experience is a reminder of the importance of citizen advocacy in holding service providers accountable and ensuring that communities receive the services they deserve.
Many thanks to the NERC for stepping up when it mattered and prompting action from the relevant DISCO.
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