In what appears to be the norm which has become an internalized corruption in the way electricity companies carry out their activities in Nigeria, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) officials are collecting monies from consumers to help them fix their electricity.
AEDC officials at the Dutse Alhaji branch are the latest offender, the officials had collected N15, 000 from each compound to fix a spoilt Transformer and broken poles at the Sokale area of Dutse Alhaji.
Worse still, the AEDC had repeatedly told its customers not to give money to its officials to help fix electricity, a pronouncement that has since proven not to be true as reality has seen customers contribute money for their light to be fixed, with Sokale example been the latest.
This is even as the Transformer is a private one, purchased by an individual who allowed people living around him to get connected having realized that AEDC won’t give them any Transformer.
Miss Joy, a resident of the area, that lives close to Mass Gate Guesthouse, who was one of those that contributed the money, while narrating the incident to MAWA FOUNDATION said the AEDC officials from the Dutse Alhaji office, demanded they pay N15,000 each house to fix a Transformer and change broken poles before they could be connected to electricity.
She recounted that when they made attempt to resist the payment that was demanded by the AEDC officials, they threatened to keep them in perpetual darkness if they do not co-operate.
Sokale area is not the only case, Mr. Isaac, who lives close to New World Hotel at the Zone 4 area of Dutse Alhaji, narrated to MAWA how they contributed N9, 000 and purchased a pole when theirs got bad and the AEDC refused to replace it.
Mr. Isaac added, apart from buying the pole through individual contribution, AEDC officials collected N2, 000 to fix and reconnect them back.
When MAWA sought the explanation of AEDC, the electricity distribution company, denied involvement in the illicit deal, saying AEDC will not ask customers to purchase a Transformer, adding that they have the responsibility to maintain and replace faulty transformers.