The management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) says it will engage 300 communities in 2019 for improved service delivery to electricity customers.

Mrs Angela Olanrewaju, Head Branding and Corporate Communication of IBEDC, said on Friday that their engagement would proactively boost feedback mechanism toward a better mutual relationship between the service provider and its consumers.

Olanrewaju said that the company had engaged over 200 communities in 2018 as part of its commitment to customers’ satisfaction.

According to her, IBEDC identifies the need for regular engagement with communities to foster mutual relationship with customers.

She said the engagement also created the avenue to educate its customers on the challenges hindering efficiency.

“This will also create the opportunity to address most complaints posed by customers on the misconceptions about our services.

“IBEDC is a customer-focussed service provider that listens to the grievances of its customers.

“We know without the support of our customers’ base, we will not be able to function.

“We are ready to go the extra mile to discuss with customers freely on pertinent concerns that will improve power supply,” she said.

Olanrewaju said that parts of the problems was that some consumers were still misinformed about how the electricity business value-chain works in the country.

According to her, lots of customers still believe that Discos are responsible for the generation, transmission and distribution of power.

“It becomes imperative for us as an effective service provider to educate consumers as its one of our top priority for the progress of the electricity distribution sector.

“Also, our community engagements afford us the good opportunity for direct re-education, reorientation and sensitisation of consumers,’’ Olanrewaju said.

IBEDC spokesperson said that in 2018, the company engaged over 200 communities within its franchise areas of Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Kwara, parts of Kogi, Ekiti and Niger.

She said that the management of the company designed a model of effective interaction with communities, which had so far impacted positively on general awareness of IBEDC’s operation.

Olanrewaju said that the company had also engaged with monarchs, government representatives, community leaders, Community Development Associations (CDAs), youths leaders and other stakeholders.

She said that various communities had met with members of the company in an open fora’s to discuss issues affecting their communities.

She said: “Power supply, metering, estimated bills, energy theft, vandalism, safety, fault clearing and replacement of transformers are some of the issues addressed at such fora.

“As a result of constant engagements, more communities are being connected to our network and more consumers are being captured for billing through our enumeration exercise, issues of energy thefts are also uncovered.’’ (NAN)