A man acquired a portion of land about two decades ago but had no money to develop the land.
His son has come of age, then gave him money to build a small bungalow on it.
He finished and fenced the house mid-last year. At the same time, he applied for a prepaid meter to power the house.
By September last year, he got a payment voucher and paid for the meter immediately.
The meter was finally installed in October last year, but when he tried to make his first recharge, he got only 30% of what he paid for.
He visited the Aba Power office for explanation, and without any recourse to shame, they told him he had acquired unpaid arrears amounting to 144 thousand naira.
“Arrears how? It’s just a new building that has never seen electricity na.”
Finally this February, he was told, “there is nothing we can do sir”.
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This is just one among hundreds of different challenges faced by Aba people in the hands of this exploitative monster called Aba Power, aka Geometrics Power today.
The amount paid for power bill on estimated billing in Aba per month is now two or three times what people pay for house rent.
Only 1/10 of the entire ring fence is massively installed with prepaid meters today. But the case of these so-called beneficiaries is even worse.
They have to clear 50% of their estimated debt arrears before they can use the prepaid meter.
As I type, many of them have already disconnected themselves from the public power.
This is the case of Aba which people outside the city are celebrating as having 24/7 electricity.
Geometrics Power is here to finish Aba people kpatakpata.
They are already scaring investors away from the glory city.
I am beginning to think that the owners of the company chose Aba for the power generation business having studied the environment.
Aba is a place you can commit any crime and go away with it, all you need is the backing of people in authority.
Every Nigerian policeman want to get posted to Aba due to the mentality of the residents therein.
Everybody in Aba is only focused on his business and always in a hurry. Nobody has the time to ask question or challenge injustice.
Come to Aba and see policemen with protruding belly. They are all feeding on the ignorance of the people.
You lead a protest and get arrested, those behind you will leave you to suffer alone.
This is exactly what the owners of Geometrics Power had studied about the city that informed their choice of site location for their exploitative business.
Who will bring us out of this mess?
Here👇is a picture of EU delegates with our governor at Geometrics Power Office.
Our gọvanọ Only went there to commend Geometrics Power for their “good work” without addressing the issue of crazy bills suffered by Aba people.
This is the almighty Aba! The land of milk and honey for every exploitative bourgeoisie and uniform man.
I am just a lone voice in the wilderness.
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Chidi Ogudiegwu is an Aba-based journalist and Public Analyst.
