Ohha  MicroFinance Bank  Enugu, South- East Nigeria, has threatened legal action against the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), over invasion and unlawful disconnection of electricity supply to it’s  premises, just as she is demanding 50 million naira as damage from the the establishment for the losses it incured as a result of the banking activities disruption.

It described as shocking the recent  unruly and barbaric behaviour officials of EEDC who invaded it’s premises to carry out the unlawful disconnection after disrupting banking activities in the bank

The Bank expressed surprise that the Electricity Distribution Company could flaggrantly disobeyed the verdict of the Enugu forum of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission NERC. 

 A petition written on behalf of the Bank by it’s Lawyer, Barrister Olu Omotayo addressed to the  EDDC leadership, and made available to our Correspondent on Monday said  “We are solicitors to Ohha Microfinance Bank Limited of No.1, Ogui Road, Enugu, who we shall hereinafter refer to as our client. 

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“We have our clients’ instructions and authority to write this petition to you. Our client had earlier made a complaint to the NERC Forum vide aComplaint NO: NERC/05/CA/FO/EN/21/1259. 
“Wherein it complained of refusal by Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), to install Prepaid meter for the bank despite the application for installation of meter made to the company since 2019, and arbitrary, excessiveelectricity bills calculated based on estimated billing.

“It should be noted that after the complaint was filed the company in annoyance after the notice of the Complaint brought a punitive bill of N368,790 :71K, contrary to the bill of N67,535 :42K, earlier brought by the marketer for the same month of April 2021.

 According to the petition, “the NERC Forum had after listening to the submission of Olu Omotayo Esq. and the representatives of EEDC officials who represented thecompany made a Finding That : “The Forum in their findings observed that two bills were issued in the month of April 2021, and  held thus;

 “The Forum in view of the above finding resolved that EEDC shall reconciled account using six months average consumption after meter isinstalled.

 ” That he shall pay for the first bill issued to him by his marketer for April, 2021 bill and ignore the later since EEDC, did not retrieve the former when it brought the later.
  “That the Forum ruled that the first bill that was issued shall hold, adding that  EEDC shall install meter within 30days

 “The said Judgment of the NERC Forum is attached herewith. It is submitted that this decision remains binding on the company since it did not appeal against it.

 Omotayo in the petition dated 25th, June2021,  pointed out that “since that 26th day of April 2021, till date the company has not install Prepaid meter as ordered by NERC, as still insist on the validity of the 2nd bill of N368,790 :71K, for the month of April 2021, hence the invasion of our clients banking hall by over 10, officials of EEDC.The Lawyer, disclosed that  the invasion was led by one Nweke Udochukwu and Henry Izuu, disrupting banking activities and unlawfully disconnecting the electricity supply to the premises.

“We therefore,  submit that the Judgment of the NERC Forum stands because there is no appeal against it by the company.

” It is therefore, recklessness and a grave assault on the Rule of law by officials of EEDC who invaded our clients’ premises.

 The petitioner further stated that “We therefore, demand thus:Immediate reconection of electricity supply to the premises of our client. Public apology to be tendered to our company within 72hours.

It added “N50, 000 000 : 00K (Fifty million Naira) for unlawful disconnection of electricity supply to our clients’ premises and disruption of banking activities by your officials who conducted themselves in an unruly and barbaric manner in the course of this invasion.

Efforts by ugamatv to get reaction of the public Relations officer PRO of EDDC, Mr. Emeka Eze on the develooment, was unsuccesful, as his mobile phone was switched off as at the time of filing this report.