Geometric Power Limited, Nigeria’s foremost integrated power firm, has just scored a bull’s eye by going out of its way to reconcile two groups of residents in a housing estate in Aba, the Abia State’s economic nerve centre, where it is based.
The crisis in the Silent Spring Estate, comprising at least 52 houses of various sizes, has recorded some casualties, including Emeka Ugwueze, a 45-year-old importer and philanthropist from Achalla in Awka North Local Government Area in Anambra State who was felled by bullets from thugs last December 15. His remains are still in the morgue as the police are investigating the matter.
“Mr Ugwueze was the greatest benefactor to the Silent Spring Neighbourhood Association, as the residents association is known, and his tragic death and the cases of other persons shot by thugs have helped to drive the point that Geometric Integrated Power has been making to the group that the peaceful resolution of the bitter crisis is the way to go,” says Bob Chukwueke, a senior lawyer in Aba who serves as the legal consultant to Geometric group.
The factions in the estate have been fighting over electricity issues. “This fact made it imperative for Geometric Power group, which has since the past 12 months been supplying electric power to Aba and many other places in the state, to step into the violent dispute and help resolve it amicably”.
One of the factions is led by Chiadikobi Ajonu, a businessman and chairman of the residents association founded in 2013, and the other by Chuks Nwachukwu, the first secretary of the association who sued Ajonu and the group in three matters at the Abia State High Court. The first action is over the collection of levies from the residents for the 300/11KVA distribution transformer serving the estate which was made possible by Solomon Akpulonu, a lawyer and erstwhile member of the Abia State House of Assembly. The second is over the collection of levies for the maintenance of the transformer.
An electricity committee was created by the residents association as part of the strategy for the safeguarding and maintenance of basic infrastructure in the area. The electricity committee, in turn, set up a task force to ensure the religious payment of the levies. The task force used all manner of methods to extract from the residents. Some residents somewhere along the line, however, felt swindled. They consider the payments illegal, arguing that neither the former legislator nor the association has the right to collect such levies because they are not licensed to do so. They consequently brought the matter to the attention of the Aba Electricity Distribution Company, Nigeria’s newest electricity distribution firm which now provides electricity to nine out of the 17 local government areas in Abia State.
“Those who reported the matter to Aba DisCo did the right thing,” notes Air Commodore Nicholas Orjiudeh, an engineer and retired Air Force officer. “Only Aba Power is licensed to supply electric power, maintain the power infrastructure and collect revenue from it in the Aba Rinng-Fenced Area. It is unfortunate that a lot of people have been acting in utter ignorance while a few others who know are also involved in the illegality because of their personal pecuniary interests”. Reguis Amaechi, a former Deputy Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps who is on the staff of the Geometric Security Service, shares Commodore Orjiudeh’s view, praising the factions for “now toeing the path of reason and peace”.
Lawyer Chukwueke is thankful to the attorneys of the feuding parties for convincing their principals to opt for an out-of-court settlement. “I am so delighted that my brother lawyers and friends, namely, Ukpai Ukairo, attorney to Chuks Nwachukwu, and B. C. Nwokoro, the attorney to the Silent Spring Neighbourhood Association, for their great understanding and admirable role”. He also lauds the then Divisional Police Officer for Osisioma, Mr Joseph Amba, a Chief Superintendent, “for his professionalism”.
Chukwueke argues that Geometric Power’s leading role in the resolution of the crisis is an example of corporate social responsibility (CSR), explaining that CSR is far more than philanthropy, or giving back to society. “Most Nigerians, including university professors, often don’t seem to understand that CSR is about an organisation”, he argues forcefully, “performing its functions as a valuable and positive member of society.
“Hence, Professor Bart Nnaji, the Geometric Power chairman who is also a former Minister of Power and a globally recognised authority in the field of engineering, has from the very beginning been insistent on the company caring profoundly about such issues as the host community, ethical integrity, commitment to environmental protection, employee satisfaction and inclusion of women in sensitive and top positions.
“Silent Spring Estate is located, as the Americans would say, in our neck of the woods; they are here with us in Osisioma. We can’t be indifferent to the feud among their residents, all the more so since the fight is over electricity. We are proud that Geometric Power initiated the process that will see the residents enter a new phase in history that will usher in peace, trust, harmony and solidarity which will give rise to prosperity”.