KEDCO rolls out pre-paid metres to customers in Katsina

From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

In an effort to end estimated billings, the Kano Electricity Distribution Company, KEDCO has commenced the roll out of prepaid meters for its customers in Katsina State.
Speaking during the ceremony in Katsina at the weekend, the Managing Director, Jamilu Ishaku Gwamna said 70 per cent of it customers are without prepaid meters, a situation where it is at the losing end as customer complain of the bills and failure to pay.
Gwamna represented by the Chief Technical Officer, Engineer David Omoloye urged the customers to embrace the launch of the meter in order to put to an end the contentious issues around the estimated billings.
According to him, “We have been on the losing side. 50% loss level. It has been a very bad business for us. And the customers feel they are losing but we lose most.
“Under the Meter Asset Provider, MAP, everybody will smile. The program targeted to reach all customers in the next three years. It is going to be a win-win situation.
“We urge all the customers to embrace the metering to address all contentious issues. Our customer base is around 500,000 for all our franchise area but enumeration of the customer base is currently ongoing and targets 1.5 million and 2 million customer base,” he said.
Gwamna sounded a word of warning to customers who are fond of sabotaging the companies effort such as energy theft, meter by-pass and other activities that result to economic losses for KEDCO, to stare clear as it has set up a task force tribunal to trial errant customers under it franchise areas – Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States.
“We are herewith calling on all customers that have formed the habits of not paying their bills to desist from such to avoid the tribunal hammer, as we don’t want our customers to go to jail.
“We urge our customers to pay for services rendered to them to enable us (KEDCO) do more by rendering more services to them. They should reciprocate by paying their bills, we assured them of improve service delivery,” Gwamna said.
Earlier, the KEDCO Enforcement and Compliant Officer, Alhaji Nura Wada Nas said it has created MAP desks in all it zonal offices for customers who wants to partake in acquiring the meter which has two mode of payments – up-front or installmental payments.
On his part, the Magajin Garin Katsina, Aminu Kabir Usman represented by Wakilin Kudu, Alhaji Audu Iliyasu described the launch of the meter as welcome development which will go a long way in addressing issues around billings and foster peace and development in the society.