Customers Lauds AEDC For 76,000 Pre-paid Meters Roll-out

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BY COBHAM NSA (ABUJA)
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has put smiles on the faces of its customers with the installation of over 76,000 pre-paid meters through the Credited Advance Payment for Metering Implementation (CAPMI).
Addressing members of the Senate Committee on Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy on oversight function visit to its office in Abuja, Managing Director of AEDC, Engineer Ernest Mupwaya said over 3,500 of the 3,900 large power users under the AEDC’s franchise area have been metered since the free pre-paid meter installation commenced last December.
The CAPMI was instituted by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and according to Engineer Mupwaya, most of the customers have been placed under an Automated Meter Reading (AMR) system allowing them to monitor their daily electricity consumption from their homes with the company also monitoring same from its head office’s control centre.
He said the new aggressive metering drive was meant to address customers’ worries about estimated billing, while also reducing the company’s loss of revenue due to non-payment of bills, adding, “We recognize that affordable, adequate and safe electricity is a key ingredient to any sustainable economic development, and that we cannot talk of sustainable progress if we are providing a service that is not satisfactory.”
The AEDC boss, who brought the committee members to speed on progress made in transforming its billing and vending systems from the analogue system inherited to the contemporary ones introduced by the Abuja DISCos management since taking over the process, said the company is conscious of improving its customers’ satisfaction level.
He also hinted that the company has not only injected financial and reporting disciplines into its system but also upgraded its Information Technology (IT) infrastructure, improved organisational design, corporate governance, compliance with health, safety and environmental standards, all geared towards improved customer service systems.
Admitting the numerous challenges faced by AEDC, Engineer Mupwaya however assured the Senate Committee that the management was determined to increase customers’ engagement in communities across its franchise area, even as he said a functional and vibrant customer service centre was required to address complaints and enquiries of customers.
In his response, the Senate Committee Chairman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe praised the AEDC management for progress made in its customers’ metering and charged the firm to replicate similar exploit in providing other facilities aimed at ensuring improved service delivery to its customers.
According to Senator Abaribe, “It appears that you have gone ahead of other DISCos with regards to your metering plan. We commend you for emerging as overall best DISCo in third quarter of last year as ranked by NERC”.
The Senate Committee had in its team, the Vice Chairman, Senator Mustapha Bukar, Senator Ahmed Salau Ogembe, Senator Mao Samuel Ohuabunwa, and Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi.

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