The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has commended the management of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) for being the best distribution company in Nigeria.

The NERC chairman, Prof. James Momoh, gave the commendation at the premier edition of EKEDC training for the newly employed 100 graduates by the EKEDC in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the newly employed graduates of the EKEDC participated in the session on Friday.

He said that the Disco had performed credibly well in discharging its statutory obligations toward effective electricity distribution to customers within its area of operations.

According to him, the company has attained 100 per cent-customers-complaint resolution.

He added that part of the NERC’s scorecard indices used for the rating include: Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) loss reduction, revenue collection and metering.

Others include: High Voltage fault clearance index, remittance to market operator and remittance to Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET).

He said the Meter Assess Provider (MAP) programme had come to stay because all DisCos had signed an agreement with the meter providers within their operations to start the roll-out of metering.

Momoh, however, said that this would not be free to customers.

“Meter distribution is going to be on monthly basis to customers as Discos are committed to MAP services providers.

“MAP is not a problem; Nigerians will get meters but they have to follow the procedure to get the meters.

“Cost reflective tariff will be effective when there are no more losses in the system; when meters must have been installed and issues of customers’ enumeration are put it place, that will address most lingering issues in the sector.

“Very soon, the price regime on cost reflective tariff will be out which electricity customers will also partake in the discussion to put the power sector in the right direction,’’ he said.

The NERC chairman tasked the newly employed graduates to be more committed, dedicated and focused in the course of their duties.

He said that achieving incremental, stable and uninterrupted power supply in a safe and affordable manner is required of distribution companies.

Momoh said: “To achieve an optimal energy generation, transmission and distribution, there is the need for capacity building to design, construct, build and test the new grid that is sustainable.

“There is the need for new curriculum for universities where every electrical engineering students will be expected to take courses in economics, finance and vice versa; the general course in apps design and communication, data analytics should be taught.

In his remarks, Mr Charles Momoh, the Chairman of EKEDC, advised the newly employed graduates to take the job very serious and be more focused in achieving their goals.

Momoh also assured the employees that the system would reward quality, dedication and commitment of workers who are geared toward effective service delivery.

“You are the growth that will control the economy; we want you to be free and relate very well and avoid partaking in politics, gossip and disobedience,’’ he advised.

Also, the Managing Director of Eko Disco, Mr Adeoye Fadeyibi, said the training would bridge the gap for the company.

Fadeyibi said that he was also excited as a Nigerian because the EKEDC was taking the lead in the power sector by providing employment for some of the country’s teeming youths.

“We are here for an unprecedented premier edition of EKEDC training programme where we have 100 individuals who are graduating today.

“Something that has not been done before for as far back we know, in this particular distribution company, where we carefully selected from almost 1,300 applicants.

“They are not just only young graduates, though we have the majority who are young graduates.

“But, we also have to put a lot of focus on mid-level and the experienced because you can imagine some of the middle level are taking a chance in their career to move into a new area in most cases.’’

He said: “We have been able to fairly look at 100 people that we are celebrating today as they are graduating from this programme.

“We have a mix of 60 per cent of entry level, 30 per cent of mid-level and 10 per cent experts or experienced level. The idea was for them to go through detailed rotation.

“This is to ensure that they are good in different departments and come out being very confident, and to also have the capacity to turn around the power sector,’’ he said.

Speaking on behalf of the newly employed staff of the company, Mr Tejuosho Adetunji , commended the company for proving better opportunities for young Nigerian graduates.

“The job opportunity will open more opportunities.

“We have been trained on various segments of the power sector value-chain and we promise to put in our best to prove that as Nigerian youths, we can do it better,’’ Adetunji said. (NAN)

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