Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has appealed to the Federal government to grant import duty waivers to its imported containers of Meter stocked at the ports to enable it embark on its full metering capacity of 3,000 per day.
The Managing Director of AEDC, Ernest Mupwaya, who made the appeal, explained that this will enable the company close the metering gap existing in its franchise areas in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Kogi, Niger and Nasarawa States.
He spoke while fielding questions from Journalists, shortly after the oversight tour of Nigeria Electricity Liability Management Company (NELMCO) assets, two buildings at Wuse District of Abuja, occupied by AEDC. The oversight tour was by Senate Committee on Power led by Senator Gabriel Suswam.
Currently, AEDC is executing between 600 to 700 metering installation capacity per day due to non-access to its imported meter at the ports.
According to Mupwaya, “This is an oversight tour by the Senate Committee. They are actually touring assets that belong to the Nigeria Electricity Liability Management Company (NELMCO). And we happen to be occupying two of the assets and we are interested to procure them and it is now in process. We are interested to acquire them.
“Currently the rent for the buildings is N40 million per month and we are in the process of offsetting the rent as a show of seriousness to acquire them.
On metering, he said “First of all let me say that in terms of Metering Access Providers (MAP) metering, we are ahead of other Distribution Companies (DisCos). We install meters at the average rate of 600 to 700 per day.
Also Read:
Standards Organisation Of Nigeria: Giant Strides At Promoting Standardisation (Part 1)
“Some of the boxes you see are not meters at all. These are just accessories where you put in the meters. They are meter boxes.
“So, we are on record to request the Federal government to waive import duties for the meters that are stocked at the ports because our full capacity in terms of installation is 3,000 per day .
“So, once we have sufficient meters, we are confident that within a couple months, we can close the gap. But presently, we don’t have enough meters.
While speaking, Senator Gabriel Suswam said, “You know that one of the responsibilities of the National Assembly is to oversight or monitor the activities of other arms of government.
“Arising from that responsibility is where are here to see what we’ve been told by NELMCO. They told us that some assets were handed over to them when the company was incorporated. So, we needed to be sure that they are telling us the correct thing.
“Here is the assets of government that during privatisation was handed over to NELMCO and we want to be sure that the asset is here, more so, it is being occupied by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) which is a private company and we are wondering why they are occupying government property.
“However, AEDC Managing Director has told us why and that they are supposed to be paying rent but because this has been advertised for sale. They also have a right of first refusal. These are certain issues that will be handled by the agency concerned, that is NELMCO.
“We are satisfied that the building is here and the AEDC MD has acknowledged that they are tenants here in the interim until they procure it, that is if eventually that they win the bid and buy the building.”
News1 week ago
News2 days ago
News6 days ago