AEDC Confirms Mass Disconnection Despite NERC Warning

By Oladapo Okeowo with agency report

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) on Thursday confirmed it disconnected the Sabon Gari Community, Mararaba near Abuja from the national grid.

This was done after being warned against such blanket disconnection by the Federal Government.

The action is a contravention of the Federal Government’s directive that distribution companies (DISCOs) should not disconnect estates, communities, and local governments over debts owed by individual customers.

According to the AEDC spokesperson, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the distribution company (DisCo) took the step for safety reasons.

He said: “Our Area Office in Mararaba carried out the disconnection, but the affected customers have since been reconnected.

“It was largely due to the safety of our staff, the affected customers and the equipment in the neighbourhood,” Shekarau said.

He said a pregnant staff member was threatened by defaulting customers who did not want to be disconnected.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) warned DISCOs against blanket disconnection of communities, villages, local government areas and estates.

DISCOs were told to adhere to the Connection and Disconnection Procedures for Electricity Services 2007 regulation.

Specifically, sections 5-6 of the regulation contain guidelines for the disconnection of only indebted customers and not an entire community.

“Electricity customers, who pay their bills, should not be disconnected via a mass disconnection of their community, block of flats, estate, and so on.

“Any mass disconnection carried out by the DISCOs, in contravention of the provisions of the above regulation, is illegal and should be reported to the commission,” the commission stated.

The disconnection, which lasted for 10 days, started on Jan. 31.