IBEDC Confronts Power Theft and Vandalism in Kwara Community Forum
The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) Plc has convened a town hall meeting with residents of Offa and surrounding communities in Kwara State to tackle critical issues affecting electricity supply, including power theft and vandalism.
Commitment to Improved Services
Addressing attendees, the Regional Head for Kwara Region, Engr. Oluwatoyin Akinyosoye, reaffirmed the company’s dedication to enhancing both power supply and metering services. He explained that the forum aimed to provide updates, address customer concerns, and identify immediate, actionable solutions.
“We recognize that effective communication is fundamental to better service. This meeting allows us to share our ongoing efforts to improve reliability and billing accuracy while hearing directly from our customers,” Engr. Akinyosoye stated.
Major Challenges Identified
He pinpointed energy theft, vandalism, and unpaid bills as primary obstacles undermining the company’s ability to deliver consistent electricity.
“Acts of theft or vandalism damage critical equipment, cause significant revenue losses, and result in prolonged outages for everyone. We urgently appeal to residents to help protect electrical installations and report any suspicious activities,” he added.
Community and Business Perspectives
The Business Manager for the Offa Business Hub, Mrs. Funmilayo Ibitoye, outlined IBEDC’s initiatives in metering, billing, and rapid fault response. She encouraged customers to settle their bills promptly to enable sustained service improvements.
Community leader Chief Abdulrasheed Olatunji praised the meeting as a valuable platform for direct dialogue but urged the company to ensure consistent follow-up actions.
Local businesswoman Mrs. Aishat Bello appealed for faster responses to transformer faults, emphasizing that reliable electricity is indispensable for daily commercial operations.
The event, part of IBEDC’s broader initiative to strengthen customer engagement, gathered traditional rulers, community and religious leaders, youth representatives, and business stakeholders. While participants appreciated the engagement, they unanimously called for tangible improvements in power supply and quicker fault resolutions.
Source: Adapted from the original report. Credit to the original writer.