Abia hoteliers, business owners decry epileptic power supply

Umuahia, March 12, 2024

Hoteliers in Umuahia and Aba, the two major cities in Abia, have decried the increasing cost of doing business arising from  epileptic power supply to the areas.

The hoteliers and entrepreneurs who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, said the situation was frustrating their businesses.

They expressed worry over the rising cost of diesel and petrol, adding that hospitality business was at the brink of collapse if urgent actions were not taken to salvage the situation.

Mr. Peter Okwudiri, the manager at New Breed Hotel, Umuahia, told NAN that the business was on the verge of collapse.

“We are relatively new in this hotel business, but we are already considering opting out because of the rising cost of diesel to power our generator.

“We supply our own electricity because of the poor power supply from Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and I don’t know how long we will continue to do this”, he said.

Also, Mr. Evaristus Chukwu, a store keeper in one of the hotels explained that most operators no longer guarantee their clients steady power supply in their hotels.

“If you go to most of the hotels around now, they power their generating sets for some hours and then put them off especially late in the night.

“This is because it has become impossible to run it for 24 hours considering the cost of diesel.

“This has also made night life difficult and that is why social life is almost at a zero level in Umuahia.

“We are really suffering and we wish that the government could come to our rescue, if not, hospitality business might disappear in the nearest future’’, Chukwu said.

Mrs. Ezinne Udeze, who owns a provision shop said the poor power supply is adversely affecting her business.

“I have been buying ice blocks to chill my drinks because for days now we have not had light in our area”, she said.

Mrs. Oluchi Onyedimma, a shop owner at Okwulehie Street by Niger Street said in the last nine months she has not had power supply in her shop because the transformer packed up.

She is angry that she is paying for darkness while spending more money to buy ice block to preserve her products and make them acceptable to customers.

Not yet Uhuru in Aba

Meanwhile, many Aba residents are also complaining that with the inauguration of Geometric Power Limited (GPAL), and its distribution arm, Aba Power Limited Electric (APLE), which raised their hopes, they were yet to get enough power supply.

In recent times the social media has been awash with reports of uninterrupted power supply in Aba following the inauguration of the power plant.

However, NAN reports that although generation of power had improved, many parts of the Aba Ring-Fenced Area were yet to know the difference between pre and post new power plant inauguration supply.

Residents of Abayi, where the company is located, Umungasi, parts of Ogbor Hill, Ngwa Road, Port Harcourt Road among others said they have not had power supply since the inauguration.

Emmanuel Ifeanyi, an Aba resident said that night life in the city has not improved adding that the flickers of light seen on some streets at night come from solar lamps installed by Gov. Alex Otti.

He said that if there was any minimal improvement, it was only attributable to Otti’s street lights and not from GPAL power supply.

A proprietor of a restaurant known as Regals Fast Food Cafe, Mrs. Agatha Okonkwo said their businesses were suffering because of poor power supply.

She said that steady power supply is the beauty of night life.

“Though we sell well during the day, at night, drivers come in from outside the state and they have to cool down with food and drinks.

“At night, business `makes sense` because everywhere is calm and customers would be relaxed as they have closed for the day.

“With regular power supply, eateries, joints and hotel business owners will reap a bumper harvest.

“This will also encourage them to pay their electricity bills “, Okonkwo said.

Situation is Beyond our Control–EEDC

Meanwhile, EEDC explained that the poor power supply experienced by its customers across the South East was beyond the organisation.

The Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC, Mr. Emeka Eze, attributed the situation to low energy generation, which had resulted in a drop in power supply.

He explained that the development had resulted in low generation, leading to a reduction in the quantum of daily megawatt hour (MWH) of energy allocated to distribution companies nationwide.

He acknowledged that it was impacting on the quality of EEDC’s service delivery to its customers.

“We understand the inconveniences this situation has caused our esteemed customers and appeal for their understanding as it is beyond us.

“We can only distribute what is allocated to us”, he said.

Eze reiterated that efforts were being made by the various stakeholders in the power sector to address the issue.

The spokesman for Aba Power Limited Electric (APLE), Mr. Chijioke Ogbodo, said the main reason for insufficient power generation by generating companies was chronic gas supply inadequacy.

“This shortage is attributed to various factors such as pipeline vandalism, gas flaring, and inadequate investment in gas infrastructure”, he said.

Ogbodo recommended combating pipeline vandalism through stringent security measures.

He also urged the reduction of gas flaring through the implementation of policies and technologies that would minimise gas flaring.

Ogbodo further said that massive investment in gas including the pipelines operations and processing facilities would enhance the reliability and efficiency of gas supply to power plants.

He also called for the diversification of gas supply by exploring alternative sources of gas supply, such as Liquefied Natural Gas imports and domestic gas production.