Umuodum Village Residents Protest Over Electricity Issues
Residents of Ogba, Umuodum Village, Mbaukwu, on March8, 2025, staged a peaceful protest over the disconnection of their electricity supply despite making payments.
Speaking during the protest, the Village Chairman, Kingsley Abana, alleged that the payments were not remitted to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), leading to the termination of their power supply.
“We held a peaceful protest because our electricity was cut off even after we made payments. I discovered at the EEDC office that the payment was not remitted. It is appalling that the previous village leaders do not account for the money in the village coffers. The past two regimes left a debt of about ₦37 million owed to EEDC,” Abana lamented.
He further accused a group of individuals, of stalling the progress of Umuodum Village, even after the issue was reported to the Mbaukwu Progressive Union (MPU).
The Protesters who carried placards expressing their grievances also went to the Palace of the traditional ruler of Mbaukwu, Igwe P. Anugwu and Kpakpando FM, where they sought assistance in resolving the issue.
One of the protesters, Rebecca Aguchiekwe, decried the prolonged power outage, stating that despite making payments, residents remained in darkness. She also raised concerns over the increasing cases of abductions, where individuals, including her son, were taken to the police station late at night for simply complaining about the electricity issues.
Another protester, Okafor Joseph Okafor, popularly known as Ijele Mbaukwu, joined the demonstration to express his dissatisfaction with the situation. He called on Igwe Mbaukwu and the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Onyekachukwu Ibezim, who hails from Mbaukwu, to intervene. “I have strong faith in the words of Eze Ukwu Mbaukwu, who assured us that he would look into the matter and do justice,” he added.
The Interim Secretary-General of Umuodum Village, Ojeka Edward Chukwudi, attributed the crisis to neglect and violations of the village constitution.
He urged all stakeholders to act responsibly and work towards restoring peace and stability in the village.
Addressing the protesters, the traditional ruler, Igwe Anugwu, promised to look into the matter.
Residents are now hoping for swift intervention from stakeholders and traditional leaders to resolve the electricity crisis and other challenges facing Umuodum Village.
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