Reps urge JEDC to restore electricity supply to Kaduna communities

Tue, Mar 23, 2021
By editor
2 MIN READ

Power

THE House of Representatives have urged Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) to immediately reconnect the feeders and restore electricity supply to parts of Kaduna communities.

This followed the adoption of a motion by Rep Suleiman Lere (APC-Kaduna) on Tuesday in Abuja.

Moving the motion, Lere noted that the provision of electricity to residents of developing countries is an incentive for improved economic and social development.

He said that Lere area has been disconnected due to the lingering cross-border power supply/revenue remittance dispute between Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) and JEDC.

This he said had affected about 28 communities within his constituency in Kaduna by JEDC for more than six months.

He added that access to reliable energy aided in alleviating poverty and generally advanced the social and security status of communities.

He stated that the goal of the National Electric Power Policy was to address the unstable electricity supply which leads to customers being exposed to frequent power outages.

The lawmaker said he was aware that the reform was meant to positively overhaul the industry which was characterised by lack of maintenance of power infrastructure and outdated power plants.

Others are: low revenues, high operational costs, high revenue leakages, power theft and non-cost reflective tariffs.

He said that the incessant cross-boundary electricity supply and revenue settlement disagreements among Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) had led to unjustified disconnection of power.

This according to him is putting innocent communities, particularly on State border lines, at grave disadvantage and unnecessary hardship.

The house, therefore, mandated the Committee on Power to interface with the Managements of KEDCO and JEDC to ascertain the reasons for the power cut in Lere Area from the national grid.

It urged the committee to investigate similar instances of unnecessary deprivation of electricity to communities by the DISCOs on account of internal trade disputes and report back within four weeks.

NAN

– Mar. 23, 2021 @ 18:55 GMT

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