Energy theft, staff assault our greatest challenge – IBEDC

Energy theft, staff assault our greatest challenge – IBEDC

The management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) has described energy theft and assault of its members of staff by hoodlums as one of its greatest challenge.

Mrs Busolami Tunwase, IBEDC Lead Media Relations, said this at a stakeholders’ town meeting in Ilesa, on Thursday.

Tunwase said the loss of revenue the company was experiencing due to usage of illicit meters by its customers, as well as assault of its staff while on duty by hoodlums was worrisome.

According to her, in the last one month, four of the company’s staff were seriously assaulted by hoodlums while on duty.

“The menace of illicit meter is very challenging and that is why we are here to enlighten our customers on how to identify and detect illicit meters.

“Before now, there is allegation of lack of meters but right now we have enough meters for all our customers.

“In Osun alone, we have more than 15,000 meters for our customers.
”On the issue of staff assault, it is a big challenge in the sector and we are letting our customers know that it is a crime under the law. Your right ends where mine begins.
“To tackle the use of illicit meter, we have embarked on dialogue, we have prosecuted those that were found guilty.
“We are carrying out monitoring and detection to make sure that our customers are in compliance. We are installing smart meters these days as well,” she said.
Tunwase appealed to customers to stop assault on the company’s staff, adding that the company has an internal mechanism to discpline any of its staff that infringe on the customers’ rights.
“We don’t tolerate corruption or any form of act of swindling our customers. We take that offence seriously.

“Rather assaulting our staff, customers should report any infraction by our staff in our office and anyone found culpable will be shown the way out.
“Our whistle blowing campaign is for customers to feel free to come to us and inform us of cases of impropriety by any of our staff.
“Such cases will be investigated and if the staffer is found wanting, they will be shown the door.

“In fact, we have sacked six staff in recent times over various allegations of impropriety.
“We will continue to sanitise the system and also provide excellent service to our customers,” she said.

Tunwase also said that the town meeting was organised to afford the company the opportunity to get feedback from its customers on how it is fairing and to serve them better.

“One of the push of this new administration of IBEDC is brand dominance and customer excellence.
“It is our agenda that customers don’t get treated shabbily, we need to make sure that everybody is on board so that we can get better results,” she said.

Customers at the meeting in their various contributions urged IBEDC to step up its services for better delivery.