Ndigbo to Appear in Court on 26th September as EEDC Sues SEECA for Advocacy on Electricity Rights.
The Southeast Electricity
Consumers Association (SEECA) is set to face legal proceedings brought against
it by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) at the Federal High
Court 1, Enugu, on 26th September 2024.
The case centres on SEECA's
advocacy efforts, which aim to inform electricity consumers in the Southeast of
their rights and obligations.
EEDC has filed a lawsuit seeking
N5 billion in damages, alleging that SEECA's informative activities are causing
financial losses for the company. EEDC claims that SEECA’s ongoing efforts to
educate consumers are leading to economic setbacks for the utility company.
The power distribution company
has further requested the court to halt SEECA's activities, accusing the group
of misleading consumers and adversely affecting their operations.
In a controversial twist, EEDC
has also questioned the legitimacy of SEECA's registration, reportedly
pressuring the Social Welfare Department of Enugu North Local Government Area
to withdraw SEECA's certificate of registration or face legal action, which
includes another demand for N5 billion in damages.
SEECA, however, maintains that
its activities are protected by the Nigerian Constitution, specifically the
right to freedom of association and expression. "This case is of no
consequence at all, as if without registration, we cannot associate or express
ourselves for our common good, as the Constitution stipulates," SEECA
stated in a release.
The group's advocacy demands
include the provision of prepaid electricity meters for all consumers across
the five Southeastern states. SEECA argues that these meters would ensure
accurate billing, preventing what they describe as "arbitrary and
outrageous" electricity charges currently being issued by EEDC and Aba
Power Ltd – Geometric.
Additionally, SEECA has called
for an end to the practice of forcing consumers to purchase or repair essential
electrical equipment, such as transformers and prepaid meters, responsibilities
they believe fall under the remit of the utility companies.
SEECA also points to a recent
declaration by the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), which
found that EEDC owes unmetered electricity consumers in the Southeast N11.86
billion for overbilling between January and September 2023. Despite the ruling,
SEECA asserts that EEDC has failed to make any refund or adjust its billing
practices, opting instead to continue with illegal disconnections.
This legal battle comes as
SEECA utilises various media platforms to raise awareness about consumers' rights
for the first time since the unbundling of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria
(PHCN) ten years ago. The case has sparked widespread interest, with SEECA
calling for its members and electricity users across the Southeast to appear in
solidarity at the court on 26th September 2024 at 8 am.
SEECA emphasises that their
movement is peaceful and grounded in the protection of consumers' rights,
vowing to continue advocating for what they believe is fair and just for the
people of the Southeast.
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