THE Managing Director, Jos Electricity Distribution Company (Jos DisCo) Abdu Bello Mohammed has said the company has enough meters that will serve its customers in its franchise areas – Gombe, Bauchi, Benue and Plateau states.
Mohammed, however, noted that customers are not willing to take advantage of the billing technology to end estimated bills.
This was disclosed in statement signed by the Head, Corporate Communications, Adakole Elijah, on Saturday, May 20.
Speaking at the mobile re-launching of the Meter Asset Providers (MAP), at various locations in Plateau State, the Jos DisCo boss urged customers to take advantage of the scheme to be metered.
Represented at the event by Senior Managers in the Marketing Department, Felix Shalzim Adamu and the Nasiru Faskari, Mohammed said there are enough meters at the disposal of the vendors.
According to him: “All customers of the company would be metered. Meter remains the only credible implement that will be used in measuring energy.
“We have engaged the services of credible vendors who have made available enough meters awaiting customers’ patronage.”
He disclosed that a single-phase meter costs N63,06.00 while a three-phase meter costs N117, 010. 00. He explained that the cost of the meter would be repaid to customers via energy within a given period as specified by the regulator.
“Upon payment of the prescribed fees and presentation of evidence of payment to the Company, the customer would be metered within ten working days”, he said.
The Federal Government’s mass metering programme which targets metering of four million power users in phase 1 has been dragging as concerns grow over capacity of local meter manufacturers.
The policy initiative commenced in 2020 to put an end to the estimated electricity billing regime.
Under the initiative, the government planned to distribute over six million electricity meters free to Nigerians.
But data for the electricity sector, which was prepared by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), showed that despite the policy, the number of estimated customers has been on an upward trend.
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.