Energy theft has been described as a criminal act and a menace that has considerably affected the power sector in Nigeria.
Engr. Jonathan Adeyemi, the Chief Business Officer of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), in charge of Kogi, Niger, Nassarawa, and FCT, stated this at the one-day retreat for critical stakeholders on the power sector in Niger State, organised by Synergy Communications, held at the Brighter Suits Conference Hall in Minna.
He said it was a crime because, whenever one household by-passed an electricity metre, the repercussions remained and the bill was paid by other end users in society.
He said that the nation's communication service providers were doing better compared to the power sector because, when it came on board, it refused to use the NITEL cables as a supposed inheritance like the power sector did.
While pointing out that a power outage should not last more than two hours in normal circumstances, he urged the citizens to always report vandalization cases to the police or any security outlets first before reaching out to the sector.
He further noted that AEDC also made payments for compensation for duly purchased and installed equipment for power supply to communities that came forward with proper documents, including an agreement reached.
He explained that it was high time Nigerians changed their thinking towards electricity usage as its end users, adding that using low-voltage bulbs was better than using 100 watts.
Also in his paper presentation titled 'The Power Sector Value Chain in Nigeria', Engr. Samuel Odekina, Regional Manager, AEDC Niger Region, noted that the sector was a business-oriented company that values and respects the rights of every citizen.
He explained that the power sector was suffering because people were busy not only stealing its properties or bypassing their residential power supply metres but also suffering from equipment vandalism despite its tireless determination in trying to provide the franchise with steady power supply.
Engr. Odekina further disclosed that the National Executive Council has approved the sale of pre-paid metres to power consumers, adding that everyone who feels overcharged in the billing system can go and purchase the metre from the available vendors in town.
He therefore appreciated the efforts of the organisers for taking time to bring people from different sectors of the state together to understand the workings of the entire sector.
In his welcome speech, Mr. Vincent Makun, also a member of Synergy Communication, appreciated the leadership of AEDC for finding time out of their busy schedules to honour the invitation.