The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) on Wednesday signed an agreement with traders of UTC market in the FCT to install meters in their shops, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The agreement, between AEDC and UTC market executive was the outcome of a meeting to resolve a peaceful protest by the traders over persistent power outages and non provision of meters.
The document signed by AEDC’s Director of Corporate Services, Mr Abimbola Odubiyi said that the company had agreed to install individual prepaid meters at the UTC market.
Odubiyi said the traders would purchase their individual meters under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) initiative of the Federal Government.
He said the MAP vendor for AEDC coverage areas would hold a meeting with executive of the UTC market to conduct a survey of the premises.
The AEDC director also said that subsequent steps under the MAP process would be fast-tracked, while an update meeting would be slated not later than May 27.
Odubuyi assured that the issues at stake had been resolved amicably, noting that AEDC would not relent until all the customers were metered.
He said the other issues of complaints like power outages, would be looked into.
Responding, the Chairman, UTC market, Mr John Chime said that the meeting with AEDC officials went well.
Chime said that their worries had been calmed following the outcome of the meeting.
He, however, said that the traders would protest again if AEDC reneged on the agreement reached.
Chime said the traders were fully ready to pay for the installation of their individual meters under the MAP scheme.
The traders had in the early hours of May 22 staged a peaceful protest to the headquarters of AEDC over incessant power outages in the market, and non provision of meters among other complaints.
The protest necessitated the meeting between AEDC officials and executive of the market.
