By Suleiman Anyalewechi, Aba
A civil society organization, Civil Liberties Organization, CLO, has berated security agencies especially the military and police for aiding and abetting the extortion and exploitation of Aba residents by the Aba Power Limited, otherwise known as GEOMETRIC.
Its accusation is coming on the heels of a peaceful protest march Tuesday August 29, 2023 by the umbrella body of Aba tailors, Association of Aba Tailors against the alleged arbitrary estimated and exploitative tendencies of the country’s 12th Power distribution company APL.
The protest march which took the protesters to some electronic media houses in Aba had no fewer than one thousand tailors and concerned residents participating.
Comrade Ugochukwu Iheme, spokesperson for the protesting Tailors, said the huge amount being forced on the throats of not only tailors, but other business men and women and residents of Aba by APL is choking their businesses, adding that unless the situation is controlled most of them may be forced to close shop.
Comrade Iheme further noted that the huge and estimated bills from the power distribution company is not commensurate with the services rendered.
They also decried the use of security personnel, mostly army and police by APL in collection of electricity bills, fearing that such development may result in some unintended consequences.
The CLO, which spoke through its Chairman Aba Unit, Comrade Charles Chinekezi condemned the poor services to the Aba residents, the use of security outfits in revenue collection and the excruciating, prohibitive and estimated billings by the APL.
CLO warned that the management of the Aba Power distribution company should be held responsible for any untoward incidents resulting from its use of security personnel for revenue collection in the Commercial center of Abia state.
Comrade Chinekezi also called the leadership of the country’s security agencies to urgently investigate the use of their personnel for perceived illegal duties.
Dr Chimezie Ukaegbu, the Abia State Commissioner For Trade, Commerce and Trade said the state government has not officially received reports of the protest, promising that as a responsible and responsive government, they will wade in as soon as they get adequate information.
