Electricity theft: DISCO to deploy 76,000 prepaid meters

The Management of Yola Electricity Distribution Company says it will deploy 76,000 prepaid meters to its customers to guard against the theft of its electricity by some customers.
Baba Mustapha, the Managing Director of YEDC, said this while addressing newsmen in Yola at the launch of the meters.
Mustapha said the activity of electricity thieves was hampering the revenues and the services of the company.
He said: “Our target for 2016 is to deploy 76,000 meters to our esteemed customers in Adamawa, Borno, Yobe and Taraba States.
“The deployment of the meters is to avoid estimated billing of customers and also curtail the activity of electricity thieves.”
According to Mustapha, the company has supplied about 6,000 meters to its customers and new ones would be deployed to areas with high rate of electricity theft.
The managing director said the company’s relationship with customers was cordial and advised them to avoid by-passing the meters.
He explained that the act was criminal.
He said lack of funding, inadequate energy supply and low customers’ response to payment were major challenges affecting the company.