26 December 2014, Lagos – The Eko Electricity Distribution Company, EKEDC, has acquired 40 new distribution transformers as part of efforts to boost operations during the yuletide.Principal Manager, Public Affairs Department , Mr. Ademola Adegoke, confirmed the purchase in Lagos on Tuesday
Adegoke quoted Managing Director,EKEDC, Engineer. Oladele Amoda, as pegging the cost of acquisition and installation of the transformers at N200 million.
He said the motive behind the acquisition of new transformers was to ensure that customers experience steady supply of electricity and to avoid prolonged outages as a result of faulty equipment, especially as the Christmas and New Year celebrations approach.
Adogoke stated the firm’s deliberate policy of continuous investment in the upgrade and reinforcement of its network to meet customers’ demands at all times.
saying: “The EKEDC would continue to make optimal service delivery and customer satisfaction the centre-piece of its operations and activities. It reassured customers that all the eleven business districts of the company would benefit from the installation of the new transformers.”
He added that the company in addition to the injection of the 40 new transformers to the network, many other service improvement programmes in the pipeline would soon manifest.
Group advises DPR on illegal gas marketers
The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) on Tuesday urged the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to rid the sector of illegal cooking gas marketers.
The Public Relations Officer, NALPGAM, Mrs Olufunke Eleyinmi, gave the advice in Lagos during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Eleyinmi also urged the agency to sanction marketers who failed to comply with relevant laws on operational safety.
She advised the regulatory agency to embark on facility audit of licensed plants nationwide to ensure compliance with statutory provisions on operational safety.
The NALPGAM spokesperson said that many people contravened the safety laws by storing and selling LPG without valid licences.
She said that DPR should ensure that gas retail outlets were licensed.
“Plant operators must be conversant with all safety needs of LPG plant operations,” she said.
Eleyinmi, however, cautioned DPR against approving the siting of gas plants in a volatile and unconducive arena.
She said that the warning became necessary against the backdrop of recent gas explosion in the premises of Babson Gas Nigeria Limited, Akure.
The incident left eight persons critically injured and destroyed 42 houses and shops worth millions of Naira.
She said that both the federal and state governments should monitor various gas facilities nationwide, to identify the unlicensed ones.
“NALPGAM has disassociated itself from the owner of the illegal facility in Akure.
“The owner of the facility is not a member of NALPGAM and has no licence to operate.
“We need to know who approved the siting of the skid gas facility in that area.
“Who gave the licence and when was it given? DPR is the government agency responsible for giving out such licences. It could not have issued licence to that facility.
“We use this opportunity to condole with the government and people of Ondo State,” she said.
*NAN