By Yemi Itodo


Managing Director (MD), Jos Electricity Distribution (JEDC) Plc, Alhaji MammanLafia Umar, has called on customers of the company to take advantage of the Meters Access Providers (MAP) programme of the company to be metered.

The MD made the call yesterday at the customer's consultative forum, Otukpo, Benue State.

Alhaji Umar, who was represented by the Otukpo Regional Manager, Mr Joseph Kwaghgba, urged customers to embrace the policy to be metered saying that the company desired to meter all her customers.

"You will recall that under the phase zero of the National mass metering programs, over 99,739 customers were metered. At the moment, what we have is MAP and we intend to meter over 25,000 customers in the next 60 days", he disclosed.

The MD, while explaining the benefits of MAP to customers, also revealed that they would have their premises metered within 10 days after payment confirmation.

He said Estimated bills would be eliminated just as it would lead to better energy management by customers.

He explained further that metered Customers would only pay for what they consumed adding that Customers would be metered at no cost because the meter cost will be refunded through energy credits amongst other things.

In his presentation, the Head, Metering, Engineer Felix Adamu Shalzin, who extolled the importance of prepaid meters rolled out the MAP Metering Process.

According to him the first thing a customer should do was to "Visit our Customer Care Office to obtain the Application form free of charge or go to our website to fill the form and submit"

He said after submission there would be Site verification by the company's meter technical team for pre-installation survey to ascertain phase-type.

Engr Adamu further explained that the company's team would generate RRR showing meter amount to the customer via SMS/email for payment at any bank of customer's choice.

Thereafter, he explained that the customer " is expected to Get payment receipt from the bank and After payment confirmation, the premises will be metered in 10 days".

In his presentation, the Head of Security of the company, Musa Abdullahi discussed the negative effects of vandalism on the community and the company called for community policing to stem the menace of vandals.

On his part, the Regional network Engineer, Yohanna Gyang who decried molestation of the company's staff by some customers called for a change of attitude.

Also Speaking, the Task Force regional Manager, Gboko, Olaniyi called on customers to always pay for their consumed energy saying, "energy is not free. I am sure you are all aware that electricity subsidy has been removed by the federal government".

"It is the money you are paying that is being used in servicing the value chain. Refusal to pay will affect the entire chain. The money does not belong to JED Plc alone", he divulged.

In his contributions, the Head, Customer Care and Relationship Management, Mr Lucky Akpobi called on customers to always document their complaints saying, " your complaints would be attended to expeditiously".