… Allege complicity of Personnel
Concerned Post Army Housing Resident Association Kurudu, Abuja, has petitioned the Chief Of Army Staff (COAS) over alleged extortion and use of Army personnel to enforce illegal levy for Transformer repairs at Army Estate Kurudu, Abuja.
The petition signed on behalf of the association by Wale Adegoke, draws the attention of the COAS to what it describes as the ridiculous and notorious conduct of his personnel and Nigerian Army Housing Estate Resident Association (NAHERA) management working in cahoots with the officials of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company regarding a faulty transformer located in Lt OA Ebong Close Phase 2 of the Army Estate.
Having recalled the questionable activities of the AEDC so far, the association said the Nigerian Army must not be seen to be aiding and abetting illegality, unfair and obnoxious practices in favour of a privately owned electricity distribution company in matters purely related to their incompetence and failure to take appropriate decision.
According to the petition, rather than doing the bidding or acting like an extension of AEDC enforcement unit, the Nigerian Army should deploy its personnel on primary duty of tackling the hydra headed monster of insecurity starring Nigeria in the face, adding that collecting monies for the repairs of transformer is not their duty.
The residents therefore urged the COAS to use his good offices to ensure the repair of the transformer by the owners AEDC or Army Post Housing Development Limited, the owners of the estate at no cost to the residents of the estate.
The Petition which was copied National Human Rights Commission, Federal Consumer Competition and Protection Commission. Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.
and Barekete Family Human Rights Radio reads;-
CONCERNED POST ARMY HOUSING RESIDENT ASSOCIATION KURUDU
The Chief of Army Staff, Headquarters Nigerian Army, Garki,
Abuja
Dear Sir,
CASE OF EXTORTION AND USE ARMY PERSONNEL TO ENFORCE ILLEGAL PAYMENT OF TRANSFORMER REPAIRS AT ARMY ESTATE KURUDU ABUJA
This is to curry your interest on the ridiculous and notorious conduct of your personnel and Nigerian Army Housing Estate Resident Association (NAHERA) management working in cahoots with the officials of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company regarding a faulty transformer located in Lt OA Ebong Close Phase 2 of the Army Estate.
It has been the trend among the AEDC officials to ask customers to contribute money either to pay for repair of faulty transformer or purchase new one. Few days ago, they have been asking residents to pay for the repairs for the damaged transformer which under normal circumstances is the responsibility of AEDC to either repair or purchase new one as their exclusive preserve.
Over the years residents have contributed money and paid for repairs and replacements of faulty electrical parts that purely is in favour of the commercial and private interest of the AEDC.
This complaint letter became necessary following recent lighting strike on the electric transformer located at Ebong Close leading to total blackout of the entire coverage area.
We find it astonishingly with abated breath that AEDC officials are still arrogantly expecting hapless customers to pay for the repairs of their private business transformer to the tune of about Three Million Naira. (N3,000,000). They have resorted to using the notorious that once took the Nigerian Army to court over a mundane issue.
The Nigerian Army must not be seen to be aiding and abetting illegality, unfair and obnoxious practices in favour of a privately owned electricity distribution company in matters purely related to their incompetence and failure of AEDC to take appropriate decision.
Rather than doing the bidding or acting like an extension of AEDC enforcement unit, the Nigerian Army should deploy it’s personel on primary duty of tackling the hydra headed monster of insecurity starring Nigeria in the face. Collecting monies for the repairs of transformer is not their duty.
Other commercial entities such as MTN, Glo, DStv, Airtel among others always take responsibility for the repairs or replacement of their damaged infrastructure and critical business component.
We make bold to state that the extortionist tendency of the AEDC have continued over the years. Residents have paid for the repairs and even replacement of transformer in the past without corresponding refund to residents of such expenses incurred during the repairs.
Also the arrangement put in place by the Electricity Regulatory Commission of Nigeria where complaints regarding unexical conducts of AEDC officials to be reported to their immediate local offices is flawed. It amounts to being the judge in their own case.
The story associated with the notorious and high handed conducts of the DISCOs across the country is a very sad one. Their stock in trade of arbitrary billing, epileptic power supply and collecting monies for metering of residences from customers in clear breach of the laws is still in our fresh memory.
Some of these antics and questionable conducts of the DISCOs are not only inexcusable but also raising fundamental questions regarding their competence, technical know how and capacity in handling the electricity distribution chain in Nigeria.
We urge you to use your good offices to ensure the repair of the transformer by the owners AEDC or Army Post Housing Development Limited the owners of the estate at no cost to the residents of the estate. They may replace the damaged transformer with new one without disturbing residents or adding another round of financial burden to them. The management of the Army Post Housing Estate can do the repairs or replacement from monthly dues being paid by residents.
Nigerian citizens have been overburden by exploitative attitude of DISCOs in the electricity chain, collection of exploitative fees for services such as estimated billings and pre paid metering that supposedly should be installed free for residences of electricity customers.
We need things right in this country because a society without justice is comparable to a walking corpse: it is only a matter of time before it falls with thud.
Thank you in anticipation of your response and assured of our continued support towards achieving transparency and justice.
Your faithfully
Wale Adegoke
CC
National Human rights Commission.
Federal Consumer Competition and Protection Commission.
Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.
Barekete Family Human Rights Radio,
Wale Adegoke Can be reached at Rims Plaza, Phase 3 Kurudu Army Estate,
Nyanya/Karshi Expressway
Email:walesdegoke360@yahoo.com
