Yemisi Izuora
The Management of Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc (EKEDC), has reiterated its commitment to effective customers service delivery within its network to boost customers confident and revenue increment.
The management said it is not relenting in providing efficient services in the face of various challenges like energy theft, vandalisation of equipment and huge debt by consumers.
Mr Oladele Amoda, Chief Executive Officer of Eko Disco who gave the assurance during a town hall meeting with customers of the company under Ojo Business District Area, disclosed that the debt profile of Ministry, Department and Agencies (MDAs) stood over N3.8 billion to date.
Amoda who was represented by the company’s Chief Operations Officer, Mr Sam Nwaire however assured that EKEDC would work with the committee set up by Acting President, Prof Yemi Osibanjo to reconcile the amount being owed by the federal government on the MDAs’ debts.
He said the Nigerian Police had said that it would only pay electricity bills incurred to its stations but not by barracks.
Amoda, also revealed that over N2.4 billion was yet to be collected from customers as electricity bills consumed in April, adding that the company only recovered N4.3 billion payment out of N6.7 billion owed by customers.
According to him, The company is still battling to recover over N2.4 billion debt owed by customers for the month.
“The company has boosted effective power distributions to customers, yet majority of the customers refused payment.
“In spite of the quantum of supply distributed to customers in the Month of April, large number of customers are yet to turn out for payment.
“We have equally recorded over N6.2 billion energy consumed by customers for the month of May but we are yet to compute the final payment chats.
“Outstanding customer’s debt profile since the month is still running,’’ he said.
He however, lauded the security agencies’ support in protecting its equipments within its operations, especially in Ojo business unit.
On metering, Amoda said that over 20, 800 meters had been rolled out, adding that the company had also designed a methodology on monthly installation to customers within its network.
He said that all unmetered customers of the company would be reached within the stipulated time.
Amoda added that it was not possible for all customers to be metered at the same time because of the cost involved and urged those yet to be reached in the meter roll-out plan to exercise patience promising that no customer would be left out at the end.
He also said that the company had an established billing methodology approved by the industry regulator for billing unmetered customers.
This, he said, was usually based on a number of factors which include the customers’ consumption pattern over time and availability of power supply within the particular month for which the customers were billed.
He urged communities to be vigilant and guard against activities of vandals in their area, adding that the company would work hand-in-hand with the police to ensure that the suspects and others would be duly prosecuted in the court.
He said that the measure became necessary against the backdrop of over N1 billion lost to various forms of electricity theft and vandalism in the zone.
He said that electricity materials, such as cables and wires, had either been stolen or vandalised within its operations.
Mrs Nkoyo Joseph, representative of State Service Academy, Ojo Business Unit commended the company for the appreciable improvement in power supply in Ojo axis in recent time.
Joseph advised the company to maintain stability in electricity and to pursue the meter roll-out plan with seriousness so as to secure the confidence of the customers in the company’s integrity.