The Management of the Benin Distribution Company (BEDC) has advised its customers within its franchise areas of Edo, Delta , Ondo and Ekiti to always seek clarifications on the company’s policies when necessary.
Mr Tayo Adekunle, the Head of Corporate Affairs of BEDC, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Benin.
Adekunle, who spoke at the background of a text message being sent by BEDC to its customers, said the message was to ensure that customers vend regularly in locations where power was relatively stable.
The message by BEDC reads “Your Mtr No 042482***** *avg. monthly vending is less than 50 Unit (B4), which is very low considering avg. availability. Vend suitably to avoid disconnection.”
He said that BEDC had complaints resolution channels to resolve issues relating to estimated billing, meters and over billing, advising them to always get in touch with the management on such issues.
“We rather want customers to seek clarifications from our complaints resolution channels in our business units nearest to them.
“The take of BEDC on the text messages is that when you send power out, you expect commensurate consumption.
“If we notice that there is low consumption in power supplied to a particular location, we are bothered as a service provider, to know if there are peculiar challenges which the customers might be facing.
“That is just the simple reason for the text messages to customers. It does not translate to disconnection.
“It may be that the customer is not available or that there may be local fault that is why the customer is not using the power.
“We must ask questions to enable us to provide effective and efficient services,” he said.
According to him, BEDC is familiar with the Civil Society Organisations in the state that are looking for fault in its operations but is not bothered.
He advised customers to always pay the last undisputed bill to avoid disconnection, pending when the issue is addressed.
The News Agency of Nigeria NAN reports that members of civil society organisations in Edo had called on electricity consumers to ignore the text message sent to them by BEDC. (NAN)
