By Constance Athekame
Business owners and residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja have decried the epileptic power supply being experienced in the territory.
The residents said the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) was not leaving up to expectations and urged it to improve its services.
The electricity consumers, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday, decried the poor power supply to their business premises and homes.
According to them, power supply has declined recently compared to the past few months.
Mrs Uche Amos, a Fashion Designer at Area 2, Garki shopping complex, said that the situation was so bad that for weeks she had not been able to meet up with her customers’ demands.
“We have not had electricity for close to three days now. I have to depend on generators and getting the fuel to power it is expensive because of the increase in the price of the product.
“It has not been easy with me at all as my customers are complaining seriously and this is not good for my business. I am appealing to the AEDC to do something about the power situation as a matter of urgency ’’ she said.
Mr Abubarkar Audu, a Barber at Area 1 in Garki, said that the situation was getting worse as they did not have power for close to two days.
Audu said that he had to rely on generators to do his business, adding that because of the high cost of fuel he increased the cost of babaring a customer’s.
According to him, the increase has reduced patronage.
Also speaking, Mr Joseph Akin, a Welder residing at Kubwa said that electricity was not too regular in his area.
He said ’’we only have light for five to six hours a day and sometimes they don’t get it for a whole day.
“I am appealing to AEDC to improve power supply to the area to enable me to run my business effectively,’’ he said.
Mrs Ese Williams, a civil servant also residing at Kubwa, Abuja said that electricity was not constant in her area.
Willams said that AEDC should do its best to improve on power supply, especially as consumers are paying for the services.
Mrs Josphine Aivba, a banker resident at Lugbe said that it was as if AEDC was playing with the light, they take it, and bring it more than 10 times a day.
‘I don’t even understand what is happening, my appeal is that they should improve on electricity.”she said.
Also speaking, Mr Andrew Coker, who runs a laundry service in Lugbe said that the light situation in the area was now terrible compared to before.
Coker said that the area does not have power supply for more than four hours in a day, adding that the light goes off every 10 minutes.
”I don’t understand why AEDC switches off the light every 10 minutes. I am appealing to them to improve their services,”he said.
NAN recalls that AEDC in a recent notice had informed customers that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) was carrying out maintenance on its 132/33kV KUKWABA T/S.
The company said that the exercise affected customers in: Games Village, Kabusa Gardens,Galadimawa Village, Human Right Radio, Sunny Vale, Suncity, Voice of Nigeria, Aco, Penthouse Estate, Panalpina World Trans Ltd, Aleita Community, Sabon Lugbe, Pyakasa, Chika.
Other areas affected by the maintenance are Lugbe across zones 1-9, Trademore, National Stadium, Eye Clinic, House on the Rock, Indoor Complex, Family Worship Centre, Bromax Estate, Wuye, Utako.
”Railway Station, Federal Medical Centre, Coca-Cola, EFCC HQ, Idu Industrial Area, CITEC Estate, BAZE University, Efab Global Estate, Diamond Court Estate, Wonderland, African University of Science and Technology, and its environs.
”While we regret the inconvenience, please be assured that this outage is necessary to ensure more robust and reliable power supply to all our valued customers,”it said.(NAN)
