The management of APL Electric Company Limited, Aba, a subsidiary of Geometric Power Company, has attributed the poor power supply in Aba, Abia State, to the huge debts owed by its customers, vandalism of power equipment, metre bypassing and assault against Aba power staff carrying out their legitimate duties in the city.
Residents of Aba, have accused APL who is the operator of the Aba ring fenced area, of giving poor power supply and estimated billing to its customers in the city. They called for the installation of prepaid metres and lamented that the incidence of estimated bills and being charged for what they did not consume are affecting their daily living and businesses.
However, during a town hall meeting with the Aba Landlords Association,in Aba, Managing Director of APL, Patrick Umeh, explained that the company has been importing power from the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, NDPHC, since the Geometric Power plant in Osisioma Ngwa Industrial layout is yet to be commissioned.
Umeh disclosed NDPHC has cut down its supplies to APL from 80mw to 25mw based on the huge debts it is being owed. He added that NDPHC is owed N2 billion while the Aba ring fence customers owe APL N4.2 billion, stressing that NDPHC is no longer prepared to grant further credit extension.
To improve power supply in Aba, Umeh urged electricity consumers in the city to pay their bills, adding that until the Geometric power plant is commissioned, APL will continue to rely on NDPHC for supply.
He said;”The quantum of electricity supplied to Aba ring fence is commensurate with the amount of money persons and businesses are willing to pay for electricity consumed. Since the Geometric Power plant in Osisioma Ngwa layout has not yet been commissioned , APL has been importing electricity from NDPHC. The NDPHC has cut down its supplies it’s from 80mw to 25mw. NDPHC decided to crash supplies on account of a humongous debt which is still growing.
“Rather than pay for power they consumed,; communities, groups ,businesses and individuals in the Aba ring fence chose to not only owe for several months but engage in power theft, metre bypassing, vandalism against power infrastructure and assault against Aba power staff. All these resulted in low revenue generation, compelling NDPHC to curtail supplies. The company is owed N2 billion while Aba ring fence customers owe APL N4.2 billion. Until Geometric power plant is commissioned, APL will continue to rely on NDPHC. In other words, load shedding is a child of circumstances. Power consumers in the Aba ring fence are implored to pay their bills as and when due.”
Speaking at the event, President General of Aba Landlords Association, Chief Alphonsus Udeigbo , urged the management of APL to ensure regular power supply to the residents and businessmen in Aba.
He lamented that poor power supply has made many businesses and small and medium scale enterprises to operate at low capacity.
Earlier, a cross section of the residents of the city had decried the poor power supply and estimates billings given to them by APL and called for a change.
They demanded the installation of prepaid Meters and assured that they are prepared to pay for the quantity of power they consume monthly.
