Due to high rate of power theft, EEDC inaugurates electricity offences squad
The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has inaugurated a Special Investigation and Prosecution Taskforce on Electricity Offences (SIPTEO).
This, according to the company is a fall out of observed continuity in the act of individuals and organisations engaging in the habit of energy theft, meter bypass and vandalism of electrical infrastructure.
Setting up the crack team in Enugu, the Acting Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Paul Okeke, in company of a member of the Board of Directors, Dr. Steve Dike; the Technical Adviser to the Board, Mr. Yateesh Kumar; the company’s Transformational Consultant, Mr. Okey Nwosu; Head of Taskforce, Miss Chinenye Okafor, and other members of Executive Management of the company, noted that for the business of power distribution to survive, it has become pertinent to deal with issues of sabotage head-on.
While charging the team to be professional in the discharge of their responsibility, Okeke warned the squad to maintain high level of integrity and respect for human rights.
According to him, the high prevalence of meter bypass and energy theft in the South East has been a serious challenge to EEDC, as the company has consistently recorded losses in its revenue on a monthly basis, a situation that is currently threatening the performance and sustainability of the company.
He averred that “It is therefore expected that with the inauguration of SIPTEO, the rate of theft and vandalism within the network will be reduced and this will bring about increase in revenue and more efficient service delivery to electricity customers in the South East”.
Earlier in his response, the leader of the 18-man special squad, SP. Spencer Tyozua, assured the management of EEDC that his men, who have been carefully selected for this job, would be responsible and professional in the discharge of the assigned task.
