AEDC takes safety campaign to Lugbe

…assures accident-free electricity services

By Etuka Sunday

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) yesterday took its Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) sensitisation programme to Lugbe in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as part of efforts to create an accident-free electricity services within its service areas.

Addressing Energy Correspondents, the Executive Director, Technical and Commercial Services of the Disco, Mr Ernest Mupaya said, “As the company strives to improve service to a level, Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) policy is fully integrated in our operations such that it has a committee at the highest level of the board.”

Mupaya said it is not just about selling electricity and making money but entails informing consumers about safety as it can cause them serious injuries and death. “So we take it as our prime responsibility to ensure that we educate all customers and stakeholders on the safe handling of electricity,” he added.

According to him, the sensitisation was to ensure that electricity consumers in Lugbe and other service areas are enlightened on safety and also discouraged them from vandalising electrical installations and infrastructures.

Mupaya who also represented the Disco’s Managing Director, Mr Neil Croucher said there are penalties spelt out in the law and other electricity regulations for electric power vandalism but noted that the worst of all could be the injury or death sustained from electrocution during illegal practices.

He maintained that the company is bent on drastically reducing the rate of accident in the electricity supply industry saying “We are even interested in reporting mere mistakes and as we improve, we will have more reports on mistakes rather than accidents which will be improved on.”

Mr Mupaya also urged electricity consumer to stop contributing to repair transformers as it is the responsibility of the Disco.

“I assure customers that when we come across such case we will fix it and customers could report to us through our call centres to resolve such cases,” he said.

Speaking in appreciation, the Lugbe District Head, who was represented by the Chairman, Lugbe Community Development Association, Amb. Prince Mustapha and the Community Youth Leader, Mr Gauis Anini commended AEDC for the effort and pledged to educate other residents on safe ways of using electricity equipment while also assisting in the fight against vandalism.