At Last, FG Hands Over Enugu Electricity Distribution Company to Core Investor

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Ignatius Okpara, Latest Headlines, News Friday, November 1st, 2013

Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

At last the Federal Government on Friday handed over the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) to Interstate Electrics Limited, the core investor in the company

Nigeria’s Vice President Namadi Sambo, and chairman National Council on Privatisation (NCP)

African Examiner’s correspondent observed that some of the workers of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) were moody during the event which took place at the Okpara Avenue corporate headquarters of EEDC in Enugu. The ceremony, attracted top personalities from the South East Geo political zone of Nigeria

Speaking at the occasion, Nigerian’s Vice President Namadi Sambo, who spoke through the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mr

Danladi Kefani stated that the handing over wouldn’t have been possible without the commitment of his boss, President Good luck Jonathan.

The VP said the handing over ceremony was part of the reform in the power sector expressing the hope that the new company will help to improve electricity distribution in the southeast zone.

In his remarks, the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Interstate Electric Limited,(IEL) Robert Dicterman, had described his company as a Special Purpose Vehicle created from a consortium comprising Chrome Energy Nigeria Limited, Powerhouse International Limited and Metropolitan Electricity Authority of Thailand.

According to him, IEL as a consortium has ample financial resources and the technical execution ability to modernise and dramatically improve the reliability of EEDC’s distribution network and customer experience.

Mr. Dicterman stated that the pillars of the company would be Integrity, Customer Service and Performance, adding that they expected that through the change in control, there would be some reshaping of the company’s strategy, goals and objective.

He however, assured that they would treat their customers with integrity so that “we can ask same of them and reduce illegal connections and uncollectable accounts”, stressing that they would put their customers first, just as any successful business would do.

Hear him: “Our second pillar is Customer Service. Although we have monopoly of

territory, we will put our customers first just as any successful business would do. We recognise that our customers have choices and they make intelligent decisions. They form opinions of our company through our performance, which includes the reliability of the distribution grid, how we perform preventive maintenance and keep good working order.”

Outgoing Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the EEDC, Engineer Sulieman Yahaya had earlier in his address, expressed appreciation and gratitude to the Federal Government over the Electric Power Reform(EPSR} Act 2005 that reshaped the energy sector in readiness for greater performance.

“Suffice to mention is the successful privitalization of the GENCOS and the DISCOS and all the transparent processes that followed the exercise. As earlier stated, EEDC covers the South East Geo_political zones. Enugu Distribution Company is also blessed with competent and resourceful workforce.

“I assure you that the right infrastructure, EEDC has the competences to grow into sustainable and profitable company”.

Contrary to reports that the federal government has paid virtually all workers of the defunct PHCN, African Examiner learnt that most of the workers are yet to receive their entitlements, a development that made them to wear long faces during the handing over event.

Some of them who spoke to newsmen under condition of anonymity, appealed to president Goodluck Jonathan to compel the minister of power, professor Chinedu Nobo to facilitate the payments of their benefits.