Reps Hails Enugu Electricity Distribution Firm

The House of Representatives Committee on Power has praised
the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company for developing a customer-friendly
website to enhance its operations.

Reacting to a presentation by the Managing Director of the
company, Mr Suleiman Yahaya, in Enugu the Chairman of the committee, Rep.
Patrick Ikhariale, said the website would bridge the gap between the company
and its customers.

Ikhariale, who led members of the committee on oversight
function, also praised the management of the company for its articulate
presentation and urged other components of the unbundled Power Holding Company
of Nigeria (PHCN) to emulate it.

He said the company had done well in the management of its
resources based on releases made to it.

The chairman debunked insinuations that members of the
National Assembly were putting pressure on heads of MDAs to executive
constituency projects.

He said that although the federal lawmakers supported the
privatisation of various components of the PHCN, it would ensure that due
diligence was followed.

He also assured the company’s workers that they remained the
engine room of the power sector and that their jobs were secure.

“Privatisation or not, you still remain the engine room of
the power sector. Your jobs as far as I am concerned are secured. The goose
that lays the golden egg must not be allowed to die,’’ he said.

In his presentation, Yahaya said the company had received
N1.78 billion out of the N5.47 billion appropriated for it this year,
representing 30 per cent of the budgeted amount.

He also said that the company, which distributes electricity
in Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi, had achieved 70 per cent utilisation
of the released funds or N1.25 billion.

The managing director said the company had developed a
website which would enable its 619,344 customers to settle their bills or
recharge their pre-paid meters online 24 hours a day and obtain instant receipt
for the payment.

He said the website would also enable the customers to
report faults, interact with staff and get information about power outages in
advance.

Yahaya also appealed to the lawmakers to facilitate the
appropriation of more funds to purchase distribution transformers to meet
increasing demands.