The Ebonyi Government says it will seek legal action against Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) if it fails to provide pre-paid meters in the state.

Gov. Dave Umahi, who said this on Wednesday in Abakaliki during a chat with newsmen, said the government would no longer pay estimated electricity bills.

“We are not quarrelling with the company, but the government told the firm’s manager in Ebonyi that we would not pay the bills they presented to us or they should disconnect our lines. We stressed that we will only pay when the pre-paid meters are provided and we will do a check on what the meters read monthly. This would enable us conduct a backlog check and make claims on our past payments to ensure that all anomalies connected with estimated billings are corrected,” he said.

The governor said that the government would institute legal action against the company if it failed on its billing.

He said that government would soon construct three ‘over-head’ bridges in Abakaliki to ease traffic movement in the town and enhance its aesthetic nature.

“We will complete all projects we start within one year as this will prove the seriousness we attach to infrastructure development in the state,” Engr. Umahi said, adding: “We might not have 100 per cent of the funds before commencement, but we have 100 per cent of ideas to successfully complete the projects. Any contractor, who fails to complete his project within the stipulated period, will pay the government damages.”

Mrs. Veronica Osim, Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state, thanked the governor for the interaction.

Osim said that journalists would always report government’s activities objectively.

“We would always discharge our duties to the society without fear while soliciting the assistance of various governmental agencies to make our duties easier,” she said.

Mr. Lazarus Onyearugbulem, the Public Relations Officer in EEDC, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that he had reported the issues raised to the management.

“We felt that we should be consulted to ascertain our side of the matter, but we assured the Ebonyi Government and its people of fulfilling our obligations towards them.

“We have commenced the installation of pre-paid meters for corporate organisations in the state and would commence that of residential buildings from January.” (NAN)

•Photo shows Gov. Umahi.