By Adedapo Adesanya
The management of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has said with effect from February 1, 2020, it will no longer accept cash payment from its customers for electricity bills above N3,000.
Head of Communication of the disco, Mr Emeka Ezeh, said in a statement on Wednesday that this policy was in line with the cashless policy in the collection of electricity tariffs.
“With effect from 1st of February, 2020, electricity customers under the Enugu Electricity Distribution Plc (EEDC), making payments above N3,000 can no longer do so in cash. They are expected to pay using the electronic and other alternative payment channels available to them,” the statement said.
It further added, “The move by the organization is in compliance with the recent cashless policy initiative introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“The electronic and other alternative payment channels to include: Point of Sale (PoS, using ATM cards), Energy Pay, Any Bank outlet, Collection Agents.”
According to Mr Ezeh, the collection agents are also present in rural communities and can also be found in all locations across EEDC franchise area.
He urged customers to pay their electricity bills because it was the only way the sector can be efficient and be in a position to deliver improved electricity supply.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had ordered the 11 electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to migrate their customers to electronic platforms for the payment of energy bills across the country last year.
In the directive – Order Number 183, signed by the NERC Chairman, Mr James Momoh, it was stated that compliance with the cashless policy directive was issued by the Federal Government and was to take effect on January 2, 2020.
Accordingly, the transition of DisCos from direct cash settlement of bills to cashless settlement platforms will help reduce collection leakages and losses and improve overall revenue remitted into the nation’s purse.
