The head, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), customer support, Mr Ayoola Adio, Wednesday said IBEDC is losing over N3billion every month to electricity thefts by some of its customers.
Adio stated this in Ibadan while speaking at the Electricity Consumer Complaint Resolution Platform.
The head, IBEDC Customer support said the affected customers are those who don’t make payment on their bills or are not paying actual amount on their bills, those who bypass their meters, and some surcharge IBEDC among others.
Stating that IBEDC run on deficit every month, Mr Adio stated that it is preventing the company from serving its amiable customer better.
Represented by the IBEDC managing director, Mr Adio said the development is worrisome, and this necessitated cooperation between the company and electricity users to curb the menace.
“We are handling our customers well, we feel pains whenever customers come for complains because our duty is to serve them better, the major complains from our customers is over billing and the only solution to that is metering but we are trying to bridge the gap”, he said.
Adio added: “We want to sensitised our customers to desist. They should know that there is now a provision under the law that punishes violators or defaulters.”
The Head IBEDC Customer support appealed to people to pay their bill promptly, report any defaulter, and support IBEDC so as to have money to resolve issues affecting its customers.
The Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Mr Babatunde Irukera, while speaking tasked electricity consumers to contribute their quota towards ensuring adequate electricity supply.
Describing the event as right step in right direction, Mr Irukera said the platform would give consumers opportunity to pour out their mind and interface with IBEDC on challenges facing them.
“This platform will make the service providers to understand that their business is not just provision of electricity, but feedback from customers and demonstrate empathy, it is in face of this we get better interaction on both sides”, he said.