Abuja DisCo dashes hope of regular electricity

Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has enjoined Nigerians not to expect a regular supply of electricity any time soon.

Corporate affairs manager of the company, Mr. Fadipe Oyebode, while refuting claims in some quarters that AEDC was deliberately denying the people of Niger State electricity, said: “we can only give what we have.”

Responding to questions after delivering the keynote address at the launch of Power Update magazine, Oyebode blamed instability in the national grid for the challenges in the power sector

In his paper entitled ‘The Media, Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI)’ at the weekend in Minna, Niger State, the AEDC boss said his organization was mindful of its customers’ safety and satisfaction.“Our desire is to see that every part of our franchise area is attended to. We have had instability in the grid and it is responsible for the power challenges we have in Niger State.

“There is no deliberate policy to deny Nigerlites electricity. Whatever is coming to Niger is a function of what we have. The quantum we get is what we give out,” Oyebode submitted. He lamented the country’s growing population and unavailability of funds to turn around the power sector, charging electricity consumers to be accountable and responsible in their dealings with AEDC.

In his remarks, the Editor-in-chief of the magazine, Abdulhamid Adeshina, said his discovery of a vacuum in the reporting of the power sector prompted his desire to start the magazine. Meanwhile, Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) workers have plunged Maiduguri and Damaturu metropolises of Borno and Yobe states into darkness.

They downed tools last Tuesday due to the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum given to the company to sign conditions of service for electricity workers.Secretary-general of Senior Staff Association of Electricity and
Allied Companies (SSAEAC), Abdullahi Dubagari, disclosed yesterday in Maiduguri that “until the condition of service is signed, the indefinite strike continues.”

He said that the workers could not continue providing electricity in the two states without the documents on the condition of service signed.“We gave the company two weeks ultimatum to sign the conditions of service as agreed in 2017,” he said, warning that as the strike continues into the second week, Maiduguri and Damaturu would remain in
darkness.