16th April, 2020
The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has promised to ensure that there is a regular power supply to all COVID-19 patient care centres in Anambra.
Mr Emeka Ezeh, Head of Corporate Communications, EEDC, made the promise on Thursday when the company delivered 60 cartons of hand sanitizers to the Anambra Government.
Ezeh said the EEDC was impressed with the efforts of the Anambra Government in combating the Coronavirus pandemic, adding that it would do all within its powers to complement the government’s efforts.
He asked the government to furnish the EEDC with such public infrastructures that are critical to combating the scourge, such as the isolation centres, surge centres and government offices.
“We have come to lend our support to the Anambra Government, and also to commend them for the support we have enjoyed from them as a business. The government has done a lot to contain the spread of the Coronavirus in the state.
“And we are expressing our company’s willingness to provide power supply to those facilities that are set to manage the pandemic,” the EEDC spokesman said.
He, however, noted that EEDC was a business and could not provide power without the customers paying, adding that, if the Federal Government wanted it to give free electricity to Nigerians, it should be willing to underwrite the cost.
Ezeh said the EEDC would continue to provide electricity for its customers as much as it could within the limits of the supply it got from the generating companies.
“If the proposal for free power supply to Nigerians is concluded, we can push out electricity to customers but somebody has to pay, the Federal Government can do that if it is convenient for it,’’ he said.
The Nigeria Bottling Company also donated 6,000 bottles of 50cl Eva water to the Anambra Government as part of its support.
Mr Ademola Yusuf, Marketing Manager of NBC, Awka and Enugu, said that water was important in the season to enable people stay hydrated.
Receiving the donations, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, Secretary to the Anambra Government appreciated the EEDC and the NBC for their support.
Chukwulobelu said electricity was critical in the effective management of the COVID-19 cases and that regular supply to the facilities would be appreciated.
He said EEDC should connect the National Youth Service Corps’ permanent camp to the national grid as the place was being run on generator.
Chukwulobelu assured that the items would be judiciously used and accounted for and that the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano would acknowledge them one after the other