YEDC to distribute 130,000 pre-paid metres in North East

The Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) says it will distribute 130,000 pre-paid metres free to its customers in Adamawa, Taraba, Yobe and Borno states this year.

The Company Secretary, Alhaji Bala Mohammed disclosed this at a Customers Consultative and Enlightenment Forum in Jalingo on Thursday.

According to him, the company is taking its time to deliver meters, which are reliable and in good condition to its customers.

Mohammed advised customers to report any staff found demanding payment for the meters saying that such erring staff would be prosecuted.

He announced that the company would conduct fresh customers’ enumeration in the zone to ascertain their current population.

Mohammed expressed concern that 75 per cent of the company’s customers have not been paying their electricity bills.

The scribe listed other challenges of the company to include vandalism of equipment, by-passing of meter, illegal connection and nonchalant attitude of customers towards company’s equipment.

He said the company which was privatized in 2013, had organised the event to receive complaints from customers and find ways of tackling the challenges.

Mohammed said customers could also complain to the management through some available phone numbers and social networks like the Facebook and Twitter, among others.

The scribe urged customers to ensure prompt payment of their bills for better services, saying that the company relied on such payments to assist power generating companies.

Also speaking, the Head of Marketing and Customer Care of YEDC, Alhaji Mustapha Usman, said the company had not increased its tariff for 2017 because of the challenges of recession and insurgency in the zone.

He said the company had 170,000 billable customers while the total customer population of the company stood at between 250,000 and 300,000 customers.