Some years back, the Federal government and some State Governments demolished structures illegally constructed under NEPA {now Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN)} high tension power lines. However, about 2 Decades after the houses were pulled down, more houses have sprung up under these lines of death. This speaks volume about Nigerians’ resistance against good reasoning.
In the same vein, the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has been calling on Lagosians to desist from building structures on electricity cables. In fostering its relationship with customers and improving the quality of life for all stakeholders, EKEDC has utilised cutting-edge technology and innovative processes, to sustainably, reliably and safely supply electricity.
EKEDC has consistently driven loyalty at every point along its journey with customers. The company captures and analyzes signals, predicts customers’ behavior and creates experiences that keep customers wanting more, through its quarterly fora.
The Managing Director of EKEDC, Dr. Tinuade Sanda, has always ensured that, under her supervision, the company holds strategic engagement with customers under its distribution network. She opined in one of the meetings that the presence of weak and old cables in the network was due to construction of buildings on such cables, which has made it difficult to carry out repairs.
With this engagement with customers, EKEDC’s customers have been responsive to the company’s web intercepts, mobile feedback centres: SMS and messaging channels, social media feedback, call, and through connected devices.
The company’s vision to be the leading and customer centric power utility company in Africa and the preferred choice of all stakeholders, is still intact.
Many experts have confirmed that apart from lives not being safe, this process may frustrate the good intentions of EKEDC. In fact, some scientific experts would consider this unethical practice as dance with death. This led to EKEDC’s meeting with customers on the dangers of building structures on electricity cables. While Sanda assured that EKEDC is devising alternative means to mitigate the challenge, customers at the meeting had raised issues of old and overloaded distribution infrastructure affecting supply in their communities. Many residents from Lagos Island complained about the faults as a result of weak underground cables and overloaded transformers and thus requested solutions from the DisCo.
On the issue of overloaded transformers, Sanda assured the customers that the company, as part of its continuous improvements’ projects, is working on providing relief distribution transformers to many areas under the Islands District.
The spate of vandalism in Ikoyi and Lagos Island also contributes to the damage of cables.Therefore, customers may need to aid the Police Force and EKEDC in curbing the crime by reporting to the Police or EKEDC via its whistleblower platforms. Island District is strategic to EKEDC business, hence the importance of the engagement forum to help the management to identify areas of improving power supply to the customers.
Eko Disco has a track record of excellent performance in the sector, particularly in the distribution space. This ranges from top-notch delivery of customer service to reliable power supply to its customers. In October 2020, Eko Disco achieved a technological landmark by becoming the first electricity distribution company to launch the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition – Distribution Management System (SCADA-DMS) in Nigeria. Hence, the Company consistently receives top ratings from the regulator of the industry, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
EKEDC has created a rich experience profile for every customer to gain a 360° view of their experiences across touchpoints, channels and journeys over time.
Olamide Adeniji is a member of the editorial team of TheScript Newspaper
