The residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have called on the President Bola Tinubu to as a matter of urgency overhaul the management of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) over its inefficiency.
The residents under the auspices of Association of Landlords, Jikwoyi Phase 4, a satellite community in the FCT lamented that the community has been in total darkness due to the failure of a critical transformer, which AEDC has failed to replace or repair.
Its Chairman, Kareem Akeem, decried that the neglect by AEDC has inflicted immense suffering on the community, therefore, demands immediate corrective action.
Akeem noted that the consequences extend far beyond residential hardship, as local businesses struggle to survive, with many already forced to shut their doors and others preparing to depart.
He decried that AEDC has subjected consumers in the area to extortionate billing, imposing outrageous charges without corresponding service delivery.
The association noted: “Mr. President, let us bring to your notice that, it was the community itself that funded and installed the transformer and supporting infrastructures nearly 14 years ago.
“The company’s lack of accountability and transparency has eroded public trust. Why should communities bear the financial burden of purchasing and installing electricity infrastructure, only for private companies like AEDC to reap the benefits and neglect maintenance, leaving the community stranded when equipment fails?
“In July this year, we formally notified AEDC management of this development and it took them almost a month before they visited our community, but they failed to take prompt action. Instead, they belatedly removed the faulty transformer a month later, only to leave us with radio silence.
“We therefore, respectfully request: Overhaul of AEDC management due to gross incompetence and inefficiency, Immediate replacement of the faulty transformer to restore reliable electricity supply.”
The association called for investigation into AEDC’s billing practices to address extortionate charges, Implementation of measures to ensure accountability and transparency.
It further called on the President to direct the Minister of Power to address the crippling electricity crisis plaguing the community.
It said it expects the management of AEDC to act immediately otherwise they would be left with no choice but to take a protest to their office, where members of the community would take refuge till power is restored.