Abdulrahman Isa, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC), has said that the company recorded 37 cases of vandalism across its franchise areas, namely, Adamawa, Taraba, Yobe and Borno States, with 20 cases in Yobe State only.
Speaking during a sensitization engagement at the Fombina Emirate Council in Adamawa State, Isa noted that 12 of these cases had been prosecuted, resulting in jail terms for the culprits.
He also acknowledged the economic challenges impacting the power sector, including a 30% drop in purchasing power, leaving consumers heavily burdened.
He said, “We are caught in the middle,” he said. “We must meet our obligation to purchase and distribute energy while covering our operational costs, despite facing the same economic pressures as everyone else.”
Read also: AEDC decries increased vandalism of power infrastructure
Isa attributed the recent reduction in power supply to YEDC’s inability to collect sufficient revenue from end-users to pay the generating companies, which limits the supply available for distribution to customers.
Aminu Abdulkadir Mbamba, the Walin Adamawa, who represented the Lamido of Adamawa, Barkindo Aliyu Mustapha, sympathised with YEDC’s challenges and advised the company to invest in staff training, particularly the marketers, who interact with customers.
Mbamba emphasised the importance of diplomacy, dialogue, persuasion, and conflict management skills in enhancing customer relations and maximising business potential.
The Council members however requested for more of such meetings to enlighten end-users about YEDC’s services and developments in the power sector.
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