Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has disclosed that Ministries, Departments and Agencies owed the Disco over ₦42 billion to date.
Dr Tinuade Sanda, Chief Executive Officer, EKEDC, disclosed this during a customer engagement forum organised by the company on Thursday in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that customers at the forum were drawn from various areas under Mushin District, including ljesa, ltire, Lawanson, Ayilara, lshaga, Ojuelegba, Odunsi and Oke-Olu.
Sanda, who was represented by the company’s Chief Commercial Officer, Rekhiat Momoh, said the essence of the meeting was to interact with customers directly on issues of concern and address them instantly.
She said that the meeting showed the company’s empathy to consumers as one of its core value and to listen to their complaints and proffer solutions.
The EKEDC boss said that the forum was also to educate customers on how they can help the company to safeguard its facilities.
She said the take home is to ensure continuous engagement with customers, and explain what the company has done and some of the challenges facing the company.
On tariff increase, Sanda explained that the company has always been having minor reviews and not major reviews.
She added that the present tariff of the company is still not cost-reflective because it does not cover the company’s expenses both operations and CAPEX.
She explained that until there are tariff that is cost reflective, the business will not get to the expected desire.
“The average tariff in EKEDC is ₦59. 50k per kilowatts, while the increase is within the range of ₦2 to N5 which is not significant increase and not covering up for our expenses,” she said.
On infrastructure, the EKEDC boss said: “In the last one year, the company has replaced over a 1,000 wooden poles with concrete poles.
“The wooden poles were inherited from the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria(PHCN) and we decided to commence replacement for better and durable services. Currently, all the poles are concrete poles.”
On metering, Sanda said that out of 600,000 customers within the network operations, 405, 000 customers had been metered while about 154,000 customers are yet to be metered.
On energy theft, she said: “On monthly basis, the company is not getting 100 per cent payment collection; it is always an average of 82 per cent.
“The company is losing about 18 per cent of its collection to vandalism and energy theft, which is huge.”
The EKEDC boss solicited the support of electricity consumers and stakeholders in tackling energy theft and vandalism within the company’s network.
Sanda warned customers to desist from engaging in illegal connection to avoid facing the full wrath of the law and to report anyone found engaging in illegal use of energy without billing.
“We appeal to all our esteemed customers to report those within their community who engaged in energy theft to us.
“This is because, if you failed to report them or send their addresses to us, the illegal energy used will be paid by everyone.
“l admonished customers to desist from illegal connection and appeal to them to also report any case of illegal connections to EKEDC management.
”This can also be done via the company’s whistle blower platform whistleblower@ekedp.com or any of its social media platforms.
“We plead with our customers to pay their bills on time to avoid the embarrassment of disconnection which may lead to being tempted to engage in illegal connection.
“As the ricocheting effect will not only impede progress in the power sector and affect revenue, but will also erode the quality of electricity supply to our customers,” she explained.
While warning of the dire sanctions for offenders, she noted that the offence is punishable under Section 94(3) of the EPSRA Act 2005.
According to her, culprits are liable to imprisonment for five to seven years.
The EKEDC boss reiterated the company’s commitment to curbing energy theft, vandalism and other illegalities perpetrated by unscrupulous elements within its network.
Afeez Lawal, Chairman, EKEDC Customers Consultative Forum, Mushin Business District, commended the company for organising the interactive forum for customers to express themselves.
Lawal said: “We are peace loving people in this community, also EKEDC is very effective in discharging its duties.
“There is lot of improvement in EKEDC services currently, but it is obvious that human wants are insatiable and the means of meeting it are limited.
“We will try and have a memorandum with EKEDC management to see how some of the complaints can be resolved amicably and peacefully.”
Lawal said that the community has inaugurated a community security service at every unit of the district to trap down those perpetuating illegalities on EKEDC equipment.
“We will ensure that each CDA is a watchdog in their community as well as to keep vigilant in the cables, meters and transformers,” he said.