IBEDC records 15,032 cases of vandalism in six months, deficit of N4bn monthly
Anu Oyeleye, Ibadan
Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) has disclosed that it captured 15,032 incessant cases of vandalize of distribution assets between January and July 2021.
The Chief Operating Officer, IBEDC, Engr John Ayodeji while briefing journalists at its 2021 half year press conference in Ibadan on Tuesday also disclosed that the company is running at a loss and experiencing a deficit of N4billion monthly.
Ayodeji said the money paid by customers to the company also goes to Generating (GENCO) and Transmission companies operating in the sector as well.
He maintained that IBEDC does not have the full power to reduce the tariff, stressing that stakeholders must unanimously agreed to review power tariff in the country.
On the efforts of the company towards effective service delivery, he said the electricity distributing company, he been investing heavily in the sector.
He refuted the idea that privatization of the power sector is failure, stressing that the electricity distributing company is making progress despite the challenges.
All in the bid to improve service delivery, he highlighted that the company has added 2,632 distribution substations to its network, rehabilitated 39 dilapidated substations, replaced two failed power station and 381 distribution transformers, reconstructed six new 33KV and six new 11KV outgoing feeders, rehabilitated 22 high tensions and 52 low tension overhead lines.
The COO said the company has made progress on Asset and Customer Enumeration; an exercise that has made it possible to correctly capture the active consumer base of the company and aided the Distribution Transformer (DT) metering project.
According to him, the company has ensured that 50per cent of IBEDC DT meters are smartly metered, adding that metering would aid management and solve problems of accountability of energy.
Also, he explained that the company has been working on improving occupational and safety management system and initiated e-billing which enables effective delivery of bills to post paid customers via SMS and Email.
Speaking on the issue of increase in tariff, Engr Ayodeji said that the increasing energy cost is driven by the impact of worsening exchange rate on gas price, the inflation evident in the economy, the constraints on the national grid and the frequent collapse of the grid.
Fielding questions from journalists, Engr Ayodeji spoke on areas that has been a source of concern to public like corruption amongst staff, paying compensation on infrastructure constructed or provided by communities and estimated billing.
On compensation, the COO said many individuals and communities are not truthful about the real cost of the infrastructure provided and should have first consulted with the company to agree on cost and structure of repayment hence the reason for non compensation.
“The management, however, promised to work on its response system to ensure a close interaction with communities,” he said.
Ayodji, also responded to the allegation on corruption of staff, said the company has constantly been sacking members of staff that have been found to be corrupt and even prosecuting them.
He advised the public not to keep quiet but report such incidences and urged all to deviate from the thinking that energy supply is a social service rather than an economic service.
He pointed that this perception is the reason why some bypassers, do not want to accept meters.
He advised Nigerians to always portray love, shun the habit of feeding on themselves and thereby destroying the nation.
