Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has reiterated that prepaid meters are free under the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP), urging the public to report any staff requesting money to fix them.

In a statement issued on Tuesday in Lagos, the General Manager, Corporate Communications of EKEDC, Godwin Idemudia, advised customers to report any individual that demands any form of payment or gratification for meters.

Mr Idemudia said the DisCo had received reports that some individuals had been demanding payments for the acquisition of prepaid meters under NMMP.

“We appeal to customers to report all cases of demand for money for the acquisition of prepaid meters to enable us to investigate and ensure such staff faces the full extent of the law and serve as a deterrent for other erring staff.

“Meters are absolutely free and should not be paid for under the NMMP. Please report to us via our whistleblowing email- whistleblower@ekedp.com or via our website- https://ekedp.com/tellus,” he said.

Mr Idemudia also noted that EKEDC would not tolerate any form of extortion, stressing that any customer who experiences such an act should immediately report to the company for necessary investigation and disciplinary action.

“We have a robust process to enable us to investigate and sanction any staff who is fingered in any act of extorting customers under the guise of offering a helping hand.

“It is our duty to serve our customers and all payments should be made through our official channels,” he said.

Mr Idemudia assured customers who were yet to benefit from the mass metering programme to be patient as the company has ramped up its metering roll-out.

He also advised customers that were yet to apply to do so on the company’s website via https://ekedp.com/page/OrderMeter to get metered immediately without any charge.

The federal government had on October 30, 2020, inaugurated NMMP, aimed at meeting the target of closing the metering gap in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry by December 2021.

It would assist in reducing collection losses, while at the same time increasing financial flows to achieve 100 per cent market remittance obligation of the DisCos.

Part of the objectives of the company also includes the elimination of arbitrary estimated billing, improving network monitoring capability, and provision of data for market administration and investment decision-making.

(NAN)