JED Promises More Meters For Jos Customers

BY CHAMBERLAIN ODEY, JOS – The Jos Electricity Distribution (JED) Plc has promised to put smiles on the faces of customers with no fewer than 200,000 electricity meters set for distribution in the zone under phase one of the National Mass Metering Programme.

The cheering news comes following the successful metering of over 88,500 customers in the company’s franchise states of Bauchi, Benue, Gombe, and Plateau under its phase zero-project.

Managing Director of the Company, Engineer Hashim Ibrahim Bakori said the above figure is apart from the over 20,000 meters already installed for customers through its internal arrangements.

Engineer Bakori, who addressed stakeholders’ parley organised by the Association of Electricity Distributors (ANED) and sponsored by Mac Arthur Foundation at the Eliel Centre, Rayfield-Jos, said the National Mass Metering Programme was introduced to bridge the metering gaps and ultimately eliminate estimated billings for customers from the system.

Speaking through the Chief Commercial Officer, Engineer Mansir Nakande, the JED boss said; “It is our desire to meter all our customers and hopefully we will cover all our customers. We are already working towards that”.

According to him, following the successful implementation of the programme under phase zero, the company is embarking on the next phase determined to achieve more success, even as he urged customers to assist the company in fighting vandalism and energy theft by taking ownership of electricity installations in their domains.

In his remarks, the Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Association of Electricity Distributors (ANED), Chief Sunday Oduntan advised customers to exercise patience with the JED Plc as it makes efforts at satisfying customers’ needs within the zone.

Admitting the shortfall in the about 88,000 meters allocated to JED for its customers, Chief Oduntan said with the successful installation of meters, the company would be in a position to do better when phase one of the programme commences.

He, therefore, urged customers to report anybody demanding gratification for meters in any guise, stressing that meters are free and reporting such acts would help stamp out corruption, especially the bad eggs who are exploiting innocent customers.

Also speaking, the paramount ruler of Gindiri in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Chief Charles Mato Dakat, commended the JED’s management for effectively distributing meters and energy to customers across the state.

The royal father said; “I want to thank the Management of Jos Electricity Distribution Plc for improved services this year compared to last year. We are getting a better and more regular power supply now than before. The meters were also well distributed free. A lot of people were metered free but they were not sufficient. We are happy that you said more meters are coming.”

Chief Dakat however called on the company to allocate more meters to the Gindiri area, noting that there are a lot of institutions in his chiefdom that should be metered as a way of generating more revenue for the company.