By Musa Tanimu Nasidi
Irked by the epileptic, irregular and distribution of Electricity by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) under the leadership of the Regional Manager, Alhaji Danladi Baba,on Tuesday hundreds of consumers in Lokoja took over the area office of the company situated along Ibrahim Taiwo road , Lokoja, demanding the removal of both the regional and Area managers respectively.
protesters chanted songs against AEDC such as,“Remove Regional manager Danladi! “Say No To Power Failure! Say No To Increment!”, “No Constant Light! No Payment! and “No More Paying For Darkness No To Tariff Increase!”.
Secretary of LIGHT UP MOVEMENT,Hon. Muhammed Yabagi said the consumers are protesting the unstable supply coupled with the lackadaisical, insensitive and unprofessional attitudes toward the consumers by Alhaji Danladi Baba, AEDC regional manager and his counterpart of Area office exorbitant charges by the distribution company.
According to them, AEDC activities of recent has thrown the communities into untold hardship as businesses and other necessities of life requiring electricity are paralysed.
They also complained that the wrong timing of the power shedding has exposed them to the nefarious activities of the men of the under world.
Yabagi therefore called on the management of the company to remove the Regional and area managers Lokoja for they incompetence and lack of managerial acumen.
Chairman of Light Up Movement Comrade, illiyasu Zakari who spoke to Journalists lamented that the distribution company has failed as it reneged on all agreement reached with the movement on behalf of consumers.
He maintained that the consumers are being short changed by the company charging high bills without commensurate service.
The chairman further stated that the company is given 24 hrs to implement their demands failure of which ” we’ll come back
The demands of the Movement includes : the immediate Removal Of Alhaji Danladi Baba as the Regional Manager, replacement of One Mr Hillary as the area manager and immediate lrestoration of 24hrs Supply to all Fedders in the state capital and environs
Other are, replacement of both the regional manager and the are managers with people from the community,who according to the them understand the terrain and bring development through adequate power supply to business communities such as SMEs and craftsmen in Lokoja and environs.
According to the group spokesman,failure to meet their demands within 24hrs,”we not hesitate to take a drastic measures within the ambit of law” Yabagi said.
However, Engineer Abdulmumin Bashir who stands for the AEDC regional manager appealed to the protesters to be calm, promising that their grievances will be looked into without further delay.
