Abuja and Eko Electricity Distribution Companies (EKEDC) have linked the frequent power outages experienced recently to inadequate gas supply, low power generation, system collapse, and vandalism.
Dr.Tinuade Sanda, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Eko Disco, during an engagement forum with customers at Itire, Lawanson, Idi-Araba, and Mushin, said the challenges that led to poor power supply is not peculiar to EKEDC, but noted that efforts were in top gear to improve its service delivery.
She assured that the company was working with the other industry stakeholders to ensure the challenges were reduced to the minimum.
“We are upgrading our distribution infrastructure across our network with a loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The network improvement projects may not be going as quickly as you had anticipated but I can assure you that we will get to your areas,” she said.
Sanda, who was represented by the Chief Finance Officer, Joseph Esenwa, urged the customers to embrace the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme provided by the government in closing the metering gap before the commencement of Phase 1 of the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP).
She further announced the mobile metering exercise initiated by Eko DisCo to ensure customers get metered within 72 hours of payment confirmation.
She said, “It is obvious that the electricity industry is going through numerous challenges that are even beyond the capacity of the DisCos, which are causing setbacks to power supply. As the face of the power industry to the consumers, it is essential for us to actively engage our customers on platforms such as this to identify their problems and provide solutions.”
The electricity consumers tasked EKEDC to improve its service delivery.
The Chairman of Customer Consultative Forum in Mushin, Afeez Lawal requested the DisCo to provide more prepaid meters, which according to him is the solution to the menace of estimated billing to customers.
Another customer representing Idi-Araba Community, Lawal Musa charged Eko DisCo to replace the deteriorated poles and wires that were preventing adequate power supply and causing safety hazards.
The spokesperson of the company, Godwin Idemudia, said the management was keen on establishing a closer relationship with customers across its network, hence the engagement forums.
He noted that the engagement was the third forum since Dr. Sanda assumed duty as MD/CEO of EKEDC following the ones held for customers in Ijora and Ojo districts.
AEDC in its Twitter handle, sent a message to its customers appealing to them to be patient as it is doing everything possible to satisfy them
It stated that it has introduced some quick-win intervention projects that it has embarked upon to bring succor to its customers.
It stated that it is discussing with some power developers that would be able to deliver within a short period through an embedded power Project to boost supply and complement whatever it gets from the national grid.
It, therefore, stated that it embarked on 40 quick-win projects that would gear towards rehabilitating its network.
olusola Bello
