TDElectricity consumers in Anambra State have suspended a planned protest against persistent power outages, poor electricity supply and controversial estimated billing by distribution companies operating in the state.
The protest, originally scheduled for Saturday, March 14, was organised by the Electricity Consumers Rights Network and led by consumer advocate Osita Obi.
Addressing journalists in Awka on Friday, Obi said the demonstration was suspended not cancelled following security concerns raised by government and security agencies ahead of the inauguration of the state governor on March 17.
According to him, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services and officials of the Anambra State Government warned that the protest could be infiltrated or hijacked by criminal elements.
“Having listened to the security advice and considering the sensitive period in the state, we decided to suspend the protest, not cancel it,” Obi said.
He disclosed that he received more than 157 telephone calls, including several threatening messages, urging him to abandon the planned action.
Obi, however, dismissed allegations that he had been bribed to call off the protest.
“No one can bribe me. Our struggle is about protecting electricity consumers,” he said.
Obi appeared alongside co-conveners Tony Erike and Okpara Nonso, who said the organisers did not want to take any step capable of undermining public safety or disrupting activities surrounding the governor’s inauguration.
The protest was planned to draw attention to widespread consumer complaints over erratic electricity supply, weak distribution infrastructure, frequent voltage fluctuations and what residents describe as excessive estimated billing.
Electricity users in the state, under the Electricity Consumers Rights Initiative and the Electricity Consumers Rights Network, say power supply has remained unstable despite the introduction of Nigeria’s Band A tariff regime, which requires electricity distribution companies to provide a minimum of 20 hours of daily supply to premium tariff customers.
Obi criticised the current supply situation, describing it as “unreliable and inconsistent,” adding that even the few hours of electricity delivered through the distribution network are often unstable due to grid fluctuations and feeder outages.
The protest also comes amid the recent transition of electricity distribution operations in the state to FirstPower, a subsidiary of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, which manages the regional electricity distribution network across parts of southeastern Nigeria.
Despite suspending the protest, Obi urged residents and electricity consumers to attend a town hall meeting scheduled by FirstPower on March 18, where customers will have the opportunity to engage the distribution company on issues such as tariff structure, metering gaps, supply reliability and service delivery.
“We will continue to engage constructively with the electricity providers and regulators. We are not backing down from advocating for reliable power supply and fair billing for consumers,” Obi said.
