News
EEDC assures customers of fairness, transparency in electricity band classification
Dr Ernest Mupwaya, Deputy Managing Director, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), has assured its customers of fairness and transparency in electricity bands classification.
Mupwaya gave the assurance on Friday in Enugu at the ongoing three-day Customer Complaints Resolution Meeting organised by NERC for electricity consumers, customers and stakeholders in the South-East.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) recently classified electricity consumers into various bands.
The classification starts from Band-A (a minimum of 20 hours supply per day) to Band-E (a minimum of four hours supply per day).
The EEDC boss said that the company was strictly following laid-down NERC regulation on the bands classification.
“The EEDC has never intended to collect any unjustified money from its esteemed and valued customers within the South-East, its franchise area,” he said.
According to Mupwaya, all customers within the 44 feeders classified as Band-A feeders in EEDC network, meant to have at least 20 hours electricity supply per day, will be treated fairly and transparently.
He said that this was to ensure that they got value for money and they are not overcharged.
The deputy managing director revealed that plans are underway to provide prepaid meters to about 12,381 unmetered Band-A feeder customers in its network within the next three months unfailingly on no-cost basis.
“It will be free-of-charge or they will initially pay for it and later be refunded through pay-back electricity unit credit given to them over some months,” he said.
Mupwaya said that the company had constituted technical Quick Response Teams to attend to local technical issues of all Band-A feeders and customers.
He said that within minutes of calls, both on weekends and during holiday seasons, electrical faults of Band-A customers are resolved without waste of time.
“For those Band-A feeders receiving less than 20 hours per day for two consecutive days; we will send a text message to the customers directly, explaining the challenges to them.
“For customers on Band-A not receiving 20 hours constant electricity supply for seven days; the feeder and customers concerned will be demoted from Band-A to a lower band.
“We are daily monitoring the situation and on our own as a responsible company, we will ensure no customer is shortchanged or overcharged,” he said.
The deputy managing director also assured all customers in EEDC network that very soon the quality of supply would improve tremendously as the authorities and other electricity industry players are working to ensure improved and more steady supply.
He made it clear that EEDC totally gave out all supply received to its network through the national grid.
He emphasised that the recent shortfall in supply was never the fault of the company and not as a result of local technical challenge within its franchise area.
“Before the recent fall in supply and recent band classification by NERC, you customers can agree with me that some customers do enjoy over 20 hours steady supply and beyond.
“By the grace of God we will return to that era once more soon,” he said.
Speaking, the Commissioner, Consumer Affairs, NERC, Mrs Aisha Mahmod, said that the commission organised the meeting to educate and sensitise electricity consumers on their rights, privileges and obligations.
“NERC, as a regulator, will ensure no electricity consumer or customer is shortchanged.
“Rather, it has provided mechanisms for disagreement and conflict resolution in the electricity industry by ensuring parties abide by laid-down laws and regulations,” Mahmoud said.
She said that the new band classification and tariff was meant to reflect the economic realities of the day.
“NERC is here for three days to listen and proffer practical solutions to your electricity challenges and complaints, which will be practically resolved here,” she said.
The meeting is being attended by hundreds of electricity consumers within the South-East, which include Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, says the FCT Administration has begun the procurement processes for drones to boost the security architecture of the territory.
Wike disclosed this when the Consul-General of the Embassy of Hungary in Nigeria, Mr Endre Deri visited him in Abuja on Thursday.
The minister, while responding to the consul-general comments on the need for drones, said, “whether we want some drones? Yes, there is no going back”.
He promised to discuss with the security experts, to consider a conversation with Deri on the type of drones that would be effective and efficient work based on the terrain of FCT.
He said that security was part of President Bola Tinubu’s priority in his “Renewed Hope” agenda.
The minister said that the security interventions in the FCT were already yielding results, stressing that the incidents of insecurity had drastically reduced.
“You too can attest to the fact that Abuja is safer now, because of the way we have been able to tackle the issue,” he added.
On agriculture, Wike said that the FCTA was open to collaborate with Hungry through Public-Private Partnership (PPP), adding that the administration was willing to provide the needed land.
“The issue of agriculture is very key, and I know your country is doing well in agriculture.
“We can collaborate and partner in terms of PPP. We are willing to provide land, if you can reach those concerns we can start the process.
“Let us also know what they intend to produce in order to address the issue of food insecurity in FCT.
Earlier, Deri expressed the willingness of Hungry to partner with FCTA to improve security in the territory.
The consul general, who commended the minister for improving the security situation in the FCT, expressed the willingness of his country to support the FCT with the latest drone technology.
“We are also interested in partnering with the FCTA in the areas of agriculture to boost food security and food safety for residents of the FCT,” he added.
The Ogun House of Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution seeking for the urgent clampdown on the activities of cultists in the state.
Mr Bisi Oyedele (APC-Ipokia/Idiroko), the sponsor of the resolution, said during plenary in Abeokuta that there was also an urgent need for Gov. Dapo Abiodun to appoint a commissioner for youths in the state.
Oyedele noted that the incessant cult killings in some parts of the state, especially Abeokuta, which had started over six weeks ago needed to be addressed as soon as possible.
The lawmaker alleged that no fewer than 10 individuals had lost their lives to cult-related violence within the last 42 days.
He stated that the rate at which lives were being lost in the state capital remained worrisome and baffling.
“Recent incidents include the shooting in broad daylight of five individuals at different locations within Abeokuta.
” Also worrisome is the continuous killings among young people across the state, which is adversely affecting businesses and tarnishing the reputation of our dear state,” he said.
Oyedele stressed that there was need for urgent intervention from both security operatives and the state government to address the escalating violence in other parts of the state.
He said that the anti-cultism section of the State Police Command must enhance intelligence gathering and take proactive measures to curb the reoccurring menace across the state.
“There is an urgent need for the governor to appoint a commissioner for youths, who will be saddled with the responsibility of providing productive initiatives for young people.
“He will also have to promote continuous engagements across the state, and drive youth-related policies and programme in the State Executive Council.
“Government should focus on continuous human capital development through job facilitation and enhance the skills of youths across the state.
“We call on the government to prioritise the aforementioned initiatives, as the time to address the root causes of social unrest and provide sustainable solutions for the youth population is now,” he said.
Other members who spoke on the resolution called on security agencies, especially the police, to do more to put an end to the issue of cultism in the state.
They called for effective youth engagements, while also calling on residents to always provide information to the police.
The Speaker, Oludaisi Elemide (APC-Odeda), implored everyone, government and parents, to be up and doing and also report suspicious moves within their environment.
The Majority Leader, Yusuf Serif (APC-Ado Odo Ota 1), moved the motion for the passage of the resolution, seconded by the Minority Leader, Lukman Adeleye (PDP-Odogbolu).
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