Umuahia Residents Storm EEDC Office, Abia Govt House Over Soaring Electricity Bills

Residents of Umuahia, the Abia State capital, on Tuesday took to the streets in a peaceful protest against what they described as an “outrageous and unjustified” increase in electricity bills by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC).

The demonstrators, carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Stop Exploiting Us,” “No Light, No Payment,” and “EEDC Must Reduce Bills,” marched from the city center to the EEDC office in Umuahia before proceeding to the Abia State Government House.

They demanded urgent government intervention, alleging that many households and small businesses were being billed excessively despite irregular power supply.

One of the protesters, Mrs. Chinyere Okafor, lamented that her monthly electricity bill had tripled in recent months despite receiving less than eight hours of power daily.

In response, a representative of the EEDC promised to convey the residents’ grievances to the company’s management for review. Meanwhile, government officials at the State House assured the protesters that their concerns would be addressed through constructive dialogue with the distribution company.

The protest caused temporary traffic disruptions along major roads in Umuahia but remained peaceful throughout.