- IBEDC records 1,459 energy theft cases in January, February
The Managing Director of the Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Mrs. Tinuade Sanda, has been relieved of her appointment with immediate effect.
This is according to a letter signed by the chairman of the DisCo, Dere Otubu.
In the letter dated March 21, 2024, titled Implementation of NERC directive on seconded staff, addressed to Sanda, it stated that the National Electricity Regulatory Commission has directed the EKEDC to ensure that all staff working for the utility are employed directly by the utility and are bound by applicable service conditions that are applicable to the employees of the utility and paid through the utility’s payroll.
In the letter, Otubu emphasized that the EKEDC was compelled to adhere to this directive in accordance with the authority vested in NERC by the Electricity Act of 2023.
“In compliance to the above directive, all seconded staff of WPG Ltd are being released by EKEDC and returned to WPG Ltd. You are hereby relieved of your role, office, and position at EKEDC, effective immediately, and returned to your employer, WPG Ltd” the letter stated.
According to the letter, Sanda was further directed to hand over to the highest-ranking staff of EKEDC under her.
“We hereby record our appreciation of your valuable services and contribution to the growth and success achieved by EKEDC over the years as a seconded staff from WPG,” Otubu added.
Consequently, EKEDC has announced the appointment of Rekhiat Momoh as the acting Chief Executive Officer.
It also explained in another correspondence on Tuesday night that Tinuade Sanda has not been dismissed but has instead been redeployed along with all other management staff, in accordance with a directive from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.
“This directive, aimed at addressing the ghost worker issue within EKEDC, has led to the cessation of the secondment arrangement, thereby granting EKEDC the authority to directly employ its management team as it sees fit following a comprehensive investigation,” the disco said.
Sanda is the first female managing director and CEO of Eko Electric Distribution Firm, Nigeria’s largest power distribution firm.
She was a key member of the privatisation team that examined Eko Electricity Distribution’s finances and taxes and ascended through the ranks to become Chief Finance Officer and Chief Treasury Officer before being named the Disco’s first female Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer in 2022.
IBEDC records 1,459 energy theft cases in January, February
In a related development, the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company said it has recorded 1,459 cases of energy theft by its subscribers between January and February 2024.
This was disclosed in a press statement signed by the firm’s Chief Key Accounts Officer, Johnson Tinuoye, on Tuesday.
IBEDC added that it is actively pursuing investigations and legal actions against individuals and businesses involved in the theft in collaboration with the Federal Government Special Investigation and Prosecution Task Force on Electricity Offences.
Identifying the cases, IBEDC said they included various offences such as meter bypass and illegal meter tampering, which resulted in significant financial losses amounting to hundreds of millions of naira for the company.
The statement read, “We want to send a clear message to our customers that energy theft will not be tolerated. Our collaboration with the Federal Government Special Investigation and Prosecution Task Force on Electricity Offences underscores our commitment to ensuring a fair and just electricity distribution system.
“Energy theft not only undermines the integrity of our operations but also deprives IBEDC of the revenue necessary to provide quality services to our customers.”
Tinuoye emphasized that under the Electricity Act, energy theft is now recognized as a criminal offense, carrying severe penalties including imprisonment stressing, “In the Osun region, two individuals were apprehended for stealing energy through meter bypass and illegal connections. Their cases have been formally charged in court for prosecution.”
IBEDC further urged customers to refrain from engaging in any form of energy theft, emphasising that the consequences can be severe, as there is no room for negotiation with the SIPTEO Task Force team, which is actively patrolling and investigating instances of energy theft for prosecution.
