December 22, 2017

The Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, has advised Nigerians to embrace the new cost reflective tariff for effective and regular electricity supply.

Akiolu gave the advice on Thursday night at an appreciation party and book presentation held in honour of Mr Oladele Amoda, the Managing Director, Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), on his retirement from service.

According to Oba of Lagos, the distribution companies (DISCOs) should be allowed to charge what is good for them.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Amoda will retire as the EKEDC chief executive on Dec.29.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had in November at the Sixth Presidential Business Forum held at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said payment of high electricity tariffs was inevitable for Nigerian electricity users.

According to a statement signed by Laolu Akande, his media aide, Osinbajo said that the government was, however, trying not to increase electricity tariff for now.

“Listening to questions concerning lower tariffs, we must pay higher tariffs, these sorts of things are inevitable,” Osinbajo was quoted as saying by his aide.

The monarch said that new tariff was the only way to enable the sector to be effective and efficient in the delivery of regular electricity supply to all and sundry.

He said that if Nigerians want regular electricity supply, we should be ready to pay for it.

Akiolu, however, accused the personnel of the sector of involving in illegal connections and bypassing of prepaid meters.

He described Amoda as “an easily approachable man’’ who had done extremely well as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in EKEDC.

In his remarks, Mr Charles Momoh, the Chairman, Board of Directors, EKEDC, said that the management of the company has appointed Amoda as an Adviser to the Board of Eko Disco.

Momoh said that the appointment takes effect effectively from the day he retires from the company.

“Today, we are here to honour the man who has paid his dues in the Nigerian power industry.

“Within the industry today, he is generally referred to as the last man standing.

“He has been with the former National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and DISCOs.

“Though, he is the last man standing, we will not let him walk alone.

“He will always be with us, for that effectively from the day he retires. He will be adviser to the Board of Eko Disco.

“This is the man who has actually been there for EKEDC. I always tell him, if we don’t have you, our employer will not find it easy.

“Amoda has been able to adapt effectively from the public company to private company and has been able to put everybody in control,” he said.

The chairman described the CEO as a very humble, soft-spoken and God fearing man.

“Like I said, you will not walk alone,” he said.

Also, the new Managing Director/CEO of Eko Disco, Mr Adeoye Fadeyibi, said that Amoda had done a lot to make the company number one among other Discos.

Fadeyibi promised to emulate the character of Amoda to enable the company to achieve greater height in ensuring consumers satisfaction.

“It is quite gratifying that my first official function as the chief executive of Eko Disco is to applaud the immense contributions of an illustrious senior colleague and friend, Amoda.

“For close to four decades, he has given his whole and all to the industry.

“I pray his nearly four decades of support to the industry will someday be etched into the golden story of Nigerian power industry,” he said.