By CHARLES IWUOHA

Dr Ernest Mupwaya, Deputy Managing Director (DMD) of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), has assured of electricity bands classification fairness and transparency to South-East consumers of electricity.

It would be recalled that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) recently classified electricity consumers to various bands, starting from Band-A (a minimum of 20 hours supply per day) to Band-E (a minimum of four hours supply per day).

Mupwaya gave the assurance on Friday in Enugu in the ongoing three-day Customer Complaints Resolution Meeting organised by NERC for electricity consumers, customers and stakeholders in the South-East.

He said that the company was strictly following laid down NERC regulation on the bands classification, adding that the EEDC had never intended to collect any unjustified money from its esteemed and valued customers within the South-East, its franchise area.

According to him, all customers within the 44 feeders classified as Band-A feeders in EEDC network, meant to have at least 20 hours electricity supply per day, will be treated fairly and transparently to ensure they get value for money and they are not overcharged.

The deputy managing director revealed that plans are underway to provide prepaid meters to about 12,381 unmetered Band-A feeder customers in its network within the next three months unfailingly on no cost basis.

"It will be free-of-charge or they will initially pay for it and later refunded through pay-back electricity unit credit given to them over some months," he said.

Mupwaya said that the company had constiuted technical Quick Response Teams to attend to local techical issues of all Band-A feeders and customers.

He said that within minutes of call, both in weekends and holiday seasons, electrical faults of Band-A customers are resolved without waste of time.

"For those Band-A feeders receiving less than 20 hours per day for two consecutive days; we will send a text message to the customers directly and explaining the challenges to them.

"For customers in Band-A not receiving 20 hours constant electricity supply for seven days; the feeder and customers concerned will be demoted from Band-A to a lower band.

"We are daily monitoring the situation and on our own as a responsible company, we will ensure no customer is shortchanged or overcharged," he said.

The deputy managing director also assured all customers in EEDC network that very soon the quality of supply would improve tremendously as the authorities and other electricity industry players are working to ensure improved and more steady supply.

He made it clear that EEDC totally gives out all supply to its network received through the national grid, adding that the recent shortfall in supply is never the fault of the company and not as a result of local technical challenge within its franchise area.

"Before the recent fall in supply and recent band classification by NERC, you customers can agree with me that some customers do enjoy over 20 hours steady supply and beyond. By the grace of God we will return to that era once more soon," he said.

Speaking, the Commissioner Consumer Affair of NERC, Mrs Aisha Mahmod, said that the commission organised the meeting to educate and sensitive electricity consumers on their rights, privileges and obligations.

Mahmod said that NERC, as a regulator, would ensure no electricity consumer or customer is shortchanged, while it provides mechanism for disagreement and conflict resolution in the electricity industry by ensuring parties abide by laid down laws and regulations.

She said that the new bands classification and tariff was meant to reflect the economic realities of the day.

"NERC is here for three days to listen and proffer practical solutions on your electricity challenges and complaints, which will be practically solved here," she said.

The meeting is being attended by hundreds of electricity consumers within the South-East, which included: Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States.

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