Adelani Adepegba, Abuja
A shoe-manufacturing company, NAFS Nigeria Ltd., has blamed the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company for the vandalisation of a 500kva power transformer it acquired to run its operations.
The Managing Director of the company, Dr. Suleman Sulu-Gambari, said the transformer, poles and cables were vandalised last week Thursday 24 hours after AEDC officials disconnected the facility in Kuje.
The destruction of the equipment, he said, had paralysed the young industry leading to loss of resources and man hours.
He threatened to pursue legal action against the AEDC for sabotaging his company’s operations.
Sulu-Gambari said his problem with the firm started barely one month after energizing the transformer in April, 2017.
He stated that his company was test-running its machinery when the AEDC slammed an estimated bill of N170,000 on him, adding that the power company refused to listen to explanations that power supply was irregular and two power generators were being used for production.
The entrepreneur stated that he was compelled to settle the bill on April 17.
Sulu-Gambari further said that on May 16, less than 30 days after the first bill was settled, AEDC came up with another outrageous estimated bill in the sum of N207,000.
He added that he was forced to cough out N100,000 with a promise to settle the balance at the end of the month.
He said, “But on May 23, AEDC officials came in a commando style and disconnected the transformer, no prior notice was given. We pleaded that expatriates were fixing some vital equipment, all to no avail.
“The next day, we made additional payment of N107,000 with the hope of reconnection, but the AEDC said it would take three days before they could reconnect the transformer.
“On Thursday, May 25, we discovered that the transformer has been vandalised. This wouldn’t have been possible if AEDC did not disconnect the transformer. We shall not rest on our oars but shall pursue this act of sabotage to a logical conclusion,” he stated.
The businessman disclosed that his application for prepaid meter submitted since February 27 had yet to be processed.
The AEDC spokesman, Ahmed Shekarau said “AEDC is saddened by the fact that the transformer was vandalized. With respect to the customer’s complaint about over billing, we have always encouraged our customers to make such positions known to us and we do our best to resolve such complaints.
“ I want to assure you that we will not hesitate to extend such courtesies to NAFS Stenograph Nigeria Limited,” Shekarau stated.
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