The Managing Director of Jos Electricity Distribution, Engr Hashim Ibrahim Bakori has said the company is poised to meter additional 200,000 customers under the phase one of the National Mass Metering programme.
Press Statement signed and issued by Head, Corporate Communications of JED Dr Friday Adakole Elijah and made available to Journalists in Jos said the MD disclose this through the Chief Commercial Officer, Engr Mansir Nakande at a Stake Holders parley organised by the Association of Electricity Distributor (ANED) Sponsored by Mac Arthur Foundation at Elien Centre, Rayfield-Jos, at the weekend.
The MD said Jos Electricity Distribution Company has successfully metered over 88,500 customers in their franchise states of Bauchi, Benue, Gombe and Plateau under the phase zero.
Engr Bakori said that the above figure was apart from the over 20,000 meters installed for customers via its internal arrangements.
He explained the rationale behind the introduction of the National Mass Metering Programme said the aim was to bridge the metering gaps of customers in order to eliminate estimated billings.
“It is our desires to METER all our customers and hopefully we will METER all our customers. We are already working towards that”, Engr Nakande assured the company’s customers.
The MD said, following the successful implementation of the National Mass Metering Programme under the phase zero, the company was poised to go into the phase one of the Programme with determination to achieving more success.
He called on customers to help the company in the fight against vandalism and energy theft by taking ownership of electricity installations in their domains.
In his opening remarks, the Executive Director, Research and Advocacy of the Association of Electricity Distributors (ANED), Chief Sunday Oduntan, called on customers to exercise patience with Jos Electricity Distribution Plc as according to him, there was no way that the over 88,000 meters allocated to the company would be enough for all the customers.
He disclosed that with the successful installation of the meters to the customers, he was optimistic that Jos Electricity Distribution Plc would even do better when the phase one of the Programme commences.
He therefore pleaded to the customers to report anybody demanding for gratification of payment for meter in any guise stressing that meters are free.
Chief Oduntan explained that reporting such act would help to stanching out corruption especially the bad eggs in the system who were corruptly exploiting the customers.
Meanwhile, the paramount ruler of Gindiri in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Chief Charles Mato Dakat, gave the management of Jos Electricity Distribution Plc a pat on the back for effectively distributing meters and energy to their customers in the state.
” I want to thank the Management of Jos Electricity Distribution Plc for improved services this year compared to last year. We are getting better and 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”, he asserted.
Chief Dakat utilised the occasion to call on Jos Electricity Distribution Plc to allocate more meters to Gindiri said there were a lot of institutions in his chiefdom that should be metered so as to generate revenue for the company devoid of energy losses.
