BEDC assures consumers of electricity metres
By FOR electricity consumers in the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) zone, the bad old days of outrageous estimated billings as a result of nonavailability of metres will soon be a thing of the past as the company has placed the order for about 175,000 metres.
Besides, over 35,000 meters are presently in its warehouse, awaiting supply to the consumers in Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti states, according to the Managing Director, Mrs Funke Osibodu.
Mrs Osibodu who spoke in Benin at the weekend at a media parley said that based on the recent publication by the National Bureau of Statistics, BEDC was adjudged to have the highest number of metres among all the Distribution Companies(DISCOs) in the country.
She said: “We are pleased to announce that based on the recent publication of by the National Bureau of Statistics, BEDC is adjudged to have the highest number of metres among all the distribution companies. We continue to be relentless in metering our customers in Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti states.”
She remarked that in the area of addressing customers complaints, the company has succeeded in launching the automation of bill estimation resolution process which aims to reduce the delay in resolution of bill estimation complaints by creating a more seamless and transparent of solving such problems.
She explained that within nearly five years of operations of the privatisation, the management has put in place structures, processes, and infrastructure to lay the foundation for an efficient organisation.
Sounding upbeat, Mrs Osibodu added that the electricity company has invested heavily in manpower workforce with the recruitment of over 1,400 new staff which were trained along with over 5,700 participants.
The managing director denied dependence on casual staff, insisting that those posing as the casual staff of the company are touts and extortionists who ought to be arrested by law enforcement agencies for soiling its image.
She emphasised: “We don’t have casual staff. Only recently, we employ graduate trainees. Those posing as BEDC casual staff are touts and should be arrested by the police.”
Mrs Osibodu appeal for patience as the company was poised to serve consumers better, noting that inadequate supply from the Transmission Company of Nigeria was a major constraint and has resulted in over 2,000 outrages, since the beginning of the year.
According to her the recent protest by some youths in Ondo south over outages was largely due to TCN constraint in Okitipupa which made it very difficult to serve the customers in the area.
As a way out, she disclosed that BEDC is determined to reduce dependency for power supply through only a single source by signing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with other grid potential suppliers totalling 120 MW of power in Edo and Delta states with another 50 MW in Delta at an advanced discussion.
She noted that in addition to several other agreements being looked at in Edo and Ondo, it has also started engaging with various, parties on mini grid initiatives for the underserved and unserved communities in the four states.
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