The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has summoned the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) area manager to appear before it on April 30 regarding persistent power blackouts and alleged overbilling of customers across the state.

The house also summoned Yakubu Suleiman, the general manager of Nasarawa Electricity Power Agency (NAePA), to appear before it on the same date.

The house said the invitation was to enable them to explain why the situation was persistent and why consumers were being billed outrageously in the state.

The speaker of the House, Danladi Jatau, announced the summons after Solomon Akwashiki (SDP—Lafia Central) raised the issue on a matter of public importance during the House proceedings on Tuesday in Lafia.

The speaker said the house wanted to know why there was an epileptic power supply and overbilling of customers across the state.

” Many people could not afford to pay their light bill again, and even those who paid hardly enjoyed the electricity,“ said Mr Jatau.

The speaker said the constitution empowered the house to invite anybody operating in the state for questioning on matters of public importance.

The speaker commended Mr Akwashiki for bringing up the matter and other members for their positive contributions to the issue.

Mr Jatau commended Governor Abdullahi Sule for his efforts to ensure the state’s people had a constant power supply, lamenting that some unscrupulous people were sabotaging the government’s efforts.

Earlier, Solomon Akwashiki, the member representing Lafia Central Constituency who raised the issue, said the activities of AEDC were not encouraging at all and had affected business activities in the state.

” For example, if you go to Rice Mill and other places in my constituency, they hardly get light for two hours within 24 hours of the day, and if the light develops a fault, AEDC doesn’t repair or provide cables; all they do is to collect money,” said the lawmaker.

Mr Akwashiki called on his colleagues to support his motion to enable the house to invite the management of AEDC to explain why they are shortchanging the people of his constituency and the state at large.

The members lamented the blackout and overbilling by AEDC, supporting the need to summon the managements of AEDC and NAePA.

(NAN)