Tailors in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia, have staged a protest against alleged extortion by Aba Power Limited (APL), a subsidiary of Geometric Power.

The protest was staged on Wednesday.

The protesters alleged that despite the epileptic power supply from APL, the company was trying to run them out of business with estimated bills. A former chairman of the Association of Tailors and Fashion Designers in the state, Onyebuchi Nwigwe, said that they were not happy with APL’s activities, which, he said, were affecting their trade.

Another tailor, Ikenna Agu, said they were pained because the company used policemen and soldiers to harass and intimidate them to pay. He said the company came with soldiers on Saturday to their business premises, disconnected their lines without prior warning, and beat up some of them, including some customers.

Mr Agu appealed to the Abia government to intervene urgently and call the company to order. According to him, what is painful about the issue is that APL gives us bills that are more than the number of shops we have in a block.

“How can I be paying N18,000 monthly in my small shop when I don’t have up to 24 hours light in a month? They bring 38 bills in our own building, which does not have 38 shops,” said Mr Agu.

Ugochukwu Iheme, another tailor, said “APL is making life miserable for them” and that the demonstration was to expose the fraud in the company.

Ebere Okoro also said the problem was that the bill was not commensurate with the energy they supplied.

Mr Okoro urged the government to step into the matter and stop APL from continuing to extort them.

APL’s chief commercial officer, Blessing Ogbe, debunked the allegations, saying that the tailors’ clusters were placed on the busiest electricity feeder.

Mr Ogbe said the company ensured that the feeder serves between 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. daily, adding that it was not true that they were placed on estimated billing.

He further said APL ensured that the National Electricity Regulatory Commission capping order was applied. Mr Ogbe challenged the tailors to bring the bill to cross-check the capping of that month.

Mr Ogbe accused them of trying to cut corners, saying he knew up to 30 people could be in a shop, but they would want to pay the bill for three tailors.

Mr Ogbe also said APL is always open to dialogue, adding that efforts were in top gear to ensure improved power supply in the city.

When contacted, the commissioner for trade, commerce and industry, Chimezie Okegwu, said he was unaware of the protest and complaint by the tailors.

Mr Okegwu, however, promised that the Abia government would investigate the alleged extortion when the ministry had received a formal report.

The commissioner promised the government would not tolerate the extortion of business concerns and residents.

“Any extortion is illegal as long as it is truly extortion, but another thing is for us to know if it is really extortion. It may be legitimate, but a legitimate thing could also be done wrongly,” stated Mr Okegwu. “We have to check if it is extortion or a legitimate fee, the timing and how it was done. One thing is very certain that we are always on the side of the traders and our citizens.”

Mr Okegwu added, “We are all out to alleviate their pains rather than increase their burden. We also have to understand that the DisCo is in business to make a profit, but I always tell them that they must not maximise that profit. Make it in a way that it will be suitable and moderate for all, and that is why we will step in.”

(NAN)