Kuje (FCT) – The Gomo of Kuje, Alhaji Jibrin Tanko, on Saturday called for collective efforts among residents and traditional rulers in Kuje Area Council to protect power installations in the area.
Tanko, the paramount traditional ruler in the area, made the call at a town hall meeting of officials of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) with electricity consumers in Kuje.
He urged the residents to see the protection of power installation as a collective responsibility, adding that power supply to the area had improved remarkably.
The monarch appealed to officials of AEDC to sustain and build on the improvement recorded in electricity supply to the area council.
“We are supposed to contribute our quota in the policing of power installations in our various communities.
“As electricity consumers, we must ensure that we report suspicious movement around installations within our neighbourhood.
“We must avoid tempering with power installations because if we have knowledge of it, we do not have control over it,” he said.
Tanko called on traditional rulers in the areas to put their subjects under watch to ensure that government facilities were protected.
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In his remark, Mr Ihezue Mohammed, AEDC Regional Manager, expressed dissatisfaction over poor response of electricity consumers in Kuje to payment of bills.
According to him, Kuje Business Office is performing less than 45 per cent because of the monthly target of N60 million, the office is only generating N29 million.
Mohammed said the meeting was to sensitise electricity consumers on the business trend of AEDC and identify areas where the company could improve on its services.
“AEDC must break even to remain in business and as consumers, you must acknowledge the fact that there is already investment from private hands in the power sector.
“To sustain the already improved supply to Kuje and avoid going back to the period of blackout, we must ensure that we pay our bills promptly.
“Kuje is expanding and there is need for AEDC to expand its facilities to avoid overstretching of our facilities,” he said.
Some of the consumers, who spoke to the News agency of Nigeria (NAN), acknowledged the improvement in power supply to the area.
The residents called for upgrade of electricity facilities and proper education of AEDC marketers to avoid persistent harassment of consumers. (NAN)
