EEDC moves to improve bills payments in South-East

Web Editor | ConsumerConnect

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has launched a community empowerment programme meant to ensure 100 per cent monthly collection of bills in communities within the South-East.

Mr. Emeka Ezeh, Head, EEDC Communication, who stated this in a statement Sunday, January 12, in Enugu, at the launch of the initiative which took place recently in five states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo under EEDC jurisdiction.

Ezeh explained that with the initiative, the communities were expected to ensure that bills for energy consumed are paid for in full.

There is an incentive commission on the collection that will be paid to the group appointed by the community to oversee this responsibility, he added.

According to him, the initiative would create a source of income for them and lead to improvement of electricity supply in the community as well.

“EEDC last week launched its Community Empowerment Programme, an initiative targeted at communities and designed to provide reliable, guaranteed and quality service to them.

According to him, the programme also provides job opportunity for members of the communities through partnership.

“Present at the events were representatives of the respective state governments, traditional rulers, Presidents-General of communities, management staff of EEDC as well as other stakeholders,’’ he said.

At the launch of the initiative, Mr. Okey Nwosu, Managing Director of EEDC, said the initiative was introduced as part of a conscious plan to reduce Aggregate Technical and Commercial (ATC) losses experienced by the company.

“At the same time create profitable business opportunity for the community as well as job opportunities for its members.

“The communities are expected to ensure that bills for energy consumed are paid for in full, while as incentive, commission on the collection will be paid to the group appointed by the community to oversee this responsibility, thereby creating a source of income for them.

“To ensure this initiative is sustainable, the participating communities will enjoy better power supply with regular maintenance of the electricity infrastructure serving them, while meters will be installed at the transformers for efficient energy audit and measurement,’’ Nwosu said.

At the launch in Awka, Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, lauded EEDC for the initiative and expressed the state government’s preparedness to support it.

Represented by Mr. Emeka Ezenwanne, Commissioner for Public Utilities, Anambra State, said the state government would partner with EEDC to ensure that the initiative works and provides better supply to the people of the state.

Report says the highlight of the launch events was the free distribution of energy saving bulbs by EEDC to all the electricity customers in attendance.

It has been observed that the high bills in most of the communities can be attributed to the use of incandescent (filament) bulbs, and not turning off bulbs and appliances when not in use, the report stated.