By Chijioke Kingsley
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – The Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) at the weekend took its sensitization programme to Benue State informing customers on the need to move them to higher bands with increased electricity supply.
The electricity company also enlightened customers that if they are migrated to a higher band it equally means increase in tariff.
Speaking in a statement sent to our correspondent, the Head, Corporate Communications, Dr Friday Adakole Elijah said the move became imperative as some feeders in Benue State are due for upgrade.
“The affected feeders due for upgrade are Otukpo, Gboko and Makurdi”, Elijah said.
He explained that the Managing Director, Engr Abdu Bello Mohammed told customers that the sensitization exercise was meant to conscientize consumers on the implications of migrating them to a higher band.
He said Mohammed was represented at the event by the Regional Manager, Makurdi Region, Mr Joseph Terfa Kwaghgba.
According to him: “You were invited to be informed that we have upgraded your feeders to higher bands because we want you to enjoy an almost uninterrupted power supply but let it be known that your tariff will change to the current reality. Your monthly energy charge will now be more than what you were paying before.
“To support this upgrade, Management had seriously invested billions of naira in solidifying the company’s network.
“Our staff are readily on the ground to expeditiously attend to faults. We want to serve you in such a manner that will gladden your hearts. Our customers are our kings and we, therefore, crave to serve you to your satisfaction”, the JED boss said.
However, to familiarise customers with the upgraded bands, the Head of Customers Care, Mr Lucky Akpobi displayed all the newly upgraded feeders with their new tariffs.
He urged customers to brace up for the new reality which he said would guarantee them more energy supply stressing that “as you take more energy, you should also endeavour to pay for your consumed energy as at when due, because energy is not free”, he said.
In his presentation, the Chief Security Officer of the company, Mallam Musa Abdullahi who decried the high spate of vandalism on the company’s network called on the customers to take ownership of electricity installations in their domains.
Abdullahi explained that apart from the negation of security of the community whose transformers or other installations were vandalized, the economic and social activities will be dislocated as the affected communities would find themselves in a State of quandary.
To halt the tide, the Chief Security Officer, therefore, urged customers to help protect electricity facilities in their various localities.
“Please, if you see any suspicious movement around our transformers, ask questions and if you are not satisfied with the answers given, report the matter to the security agents as quickly as possible”, he said.
Also speaking, the Regional Manager, Otukpo, Engr Olaniyi Ogumakinwa advised customers to take advantage of the current Meters Asset Providers to get themselves metered to avoid disputation on energy billing especially now that electricity supply was going to be higher than what it used to be.
