By SOLOMON ASOWATA

The Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) says it has filed an appeal against the judgement of an Igbosere High Court in Lagos which awarded N1 million damages against it in a suit filed by one Mr Sunday Babalola.

Mr Godwin Idemudia, the General Manager, Corporate Communications in EKEDC, said this in a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday.

Idemudia said the court had awarded the damages against the company for refusing to connect the claimant’s property over unpaid outstanding electricity bill.

He said that the EKEDC had appealed the judgment on the grounds that it was inconsistent with industry regulation.

Idemudia said the company had the right to demand for outstanding payments before reconnection in accordance with the provisions of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC)`s Connection and Disconnection Procedure for Electricity Services, 2007.

He said the claimant, on purchase of the property in July 2019, failed to carry out due diligence on the existing outstanding bill on the property and making sure that the previous owner settled all outstanding electricity bills before the conclusion of the sale transaction.

” On approaching EKEDC to be reconnected to our infrastructure, the company informed the claimant that there is an outstanding bill left unpaid by the previous owner of the property before he secretly sold the property to the claimant without any recourse or notice to us.”

Idemudia said that the company had always carried out its operation within regulatory framework and industry guideline and was. therefore, confident that the judgement would be overturned at the appellate court. (NAN)

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