The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc.(IBEDC) has informed its esteemed customers that there would be no disconnection of electricity to non-paying customers during this period. This, it says, was in recognition of the current situation pervading the country and the whole world occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic spread.
The announcement was made on Friday by the chief operating officer of IBEDC, Engineer John Ayodele.
Ayodele said that IBEDC is a customer-centric organization with the welfare and wellbeing of its customers at heart, hence the management decided to suspend the disconnection of non-paying customers to help alleviate the hardship and pressure Nigerians are facing as a result of the lockdown across its franchise.
Furthermore, Ayodele stated that as much as it is within its remit and control, IBEDC will ensure regular and steady supply of power to make the stay at home order more bearable, bearing in mind the attendant challenges and pressure that this pandemic has brought on Nigerians.
”IBEDC, in recognition of these and to ensure the safety of our staff and customers, have temporarily recalled our staff on non-essential duties from the field as part of the COVID -19 safety protocols of social distancing and limiting physical contact, he said, reassuring customers that this will not in any way hinder or disrupt its services while it will continue to advise customers of their bills electronically by emails and SMS .
Furthermore, Ayodele stated that IBEDC staff on essential duties and the technical crew would be available to attend to faults during this period, under strict supervision of its health, safety and environment team to ensure complete compliance to NCDC and WHO safety protocols.
He also urged customers to take advantage of its alternate hassle-free payment online channels to pay or vend, namely Online Quickteller, Jumia, Fetswallet and PayArena or USSD via GTB, MCash or Etranzact for electricity, to reduce physical contact and likely exposure to the virus at crowded locations.
Finally, he urged customers to stay safe and obey all the COVID-19 safety protocols and guidelines hoping that ”the Coronavirus ill wind would soon be a thing of the past.”