By: TUNDE BOLAJI – MINNA.
The Management of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company AEDC has said it been loosing over one point six billion naira monthly to its customers in Niger state.
This was made known by the new Managing Director and Chief Executive AEDC, Engineer Chijioke Okwuokenye during a Media parley tagged talking points 2025 Niger Zone, held in Minna the state capital.
Engineer Chijioke Okwuokenye lamented that out of the two point five billion naira they were ask to bring on monthly basis from Niger state, they only realized eight hundred and fifty million naira monthly due to non payment of electricity bills by customers.
According to him, the amount realized is grossly inadequate which he said was responsible for the challenges faced by AEDC to includes energy theft, chronic widespread unwillingness of customers to pay their bills, illegal connections of electricity lines after disconnection as well as community resistance which made it difficult for them in most cases to replace ageing transformers and dilapidated lines.
On trying to address the problems of metering gaps, a total of thousand one hundred and fifty meters have been installed in Niger state, and that they are in the process of replacing eight thousand meters, while mass refund for those who paid for the meters that have not gotten is currently on.
Engineer Chijioke Okwuokenye said at least eighteen meter bypass problem is being recorded per day in Niger state which he said explains the enormity of bypass recorded, and if you multiply the number by thirty in just a month is high, thereby making it difficult for AEDC to function efficiently and effectively, due to multiple problems encountered in their day to day activities.
Despite the problems being encountered, the AEDC Managing Director explained that they have engaged in the provision of various interventions in parts of Minna such as the commissioning of 500 kva sub station in collaboration with Morris community in Minna, and the rehabilitation of 11 kva transformer at Army Barracks in Bida among others to provide more stable electricity supply to its customers.
Engineer Chijioke Okwuokenye also announced that Niger state is among states in Nigeria that had constituted the state Electricity Regulatory Commission which he described as a welcomed development and a step in the right direction.
