On Tuesday, 21st January, 2025, the House Committee on Public Petitions had a session to give fair hearing to citizens who wrote petitions against various organisations and individuals.
There is a petition by M. C. Chambers on behalf of Mbaise District in Imo State, against Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), and Honourable Minister of Power over abandonment of Aboh Mbaise Transmission Station, perennial blockout, extortion, and the total neglect of Mbaise District and Ngor Okpala LGA in Imo State. Present at the hearing were Hon. Matthew Nwogu, Memeber representing Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency, the petitioner (Barr. Malachy Nwaekpe), respondents from NERC and EEDC, and well-meaning sons of Mbaise and Ngor Okpala.
As representative from EEDC submitted report of the 13th January, 2025 reconciliation meeting to the Committee, the petitioner stated that it is not the responsibility of EEDC to submit the report. He went further to tell the Committee that it is the responsibility of NERC to submit report of the reconciliation meeting.
As the Clerk of the Committee read out the reconciliation report from EEDC, it was surprise to the petitioner and members of Mbaise/Ngor Okpala communities that the 13th January, 2025 reconciliation done by NERC in Owerri, is not accurately reported by EEDC. For example, the amount NERC approved for a community like Ezeagbogu in Ezinihitte Mbaise in the last reconciliation meeting has been increased by EEDC in its own report.
The petitioner also told the Committee that unfortunately, the 13th January, 2025 reconciliation meeting was on a Monday sit-at-home in South-East, which affected the number of community representatives. He therefore, pleaded with the Committee for a last chance in order to accommodate all the communities that missed out on 13th January, 2025, due to the Monday sit-at-home.
According to Chairman of the Committee, Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba, any community that fails to appear on the next dates to approved by the Committee, should forget about it. In its wisdom, the Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba led Committee urged NERC and EEDC for a final reconciliation meeting, in order to carry every community along. The Committee also urged NERC to do justice in providing official report of the meeting.
The petitioner pleaded with the Committee not to fix the final reconciliation meeting on a Monday sit-at-home, to avoid a lot of communities missing out.
In conclusion, the Committee fixed the final reconciliation meeting between NERC, EEDC and Mbaise/ Ngor Okpala communities from Tuesday, 25th March, 2025 to Friday, 29th March, 2025.
“This last opportunity will enable every community in Mbaise and Ngor Okpala to reconcile with NERC and EEDC, without further excuses. Any community that misses out this time, should just forget about it”, the Chairman stated.
The Chairman urged the petitioner to be present at this last reconciliation meeting between NERC, EEDC and every community in Mbaise and Ngor Okpala. He also advised for adequate publicity in the various communities, in order to carry everyone along. “There should be no excuse this time”, he concluded.
The matter was adjourned to 10th April, 2025
