Minister of Works, Power and Housing Babatunde Fashola yesterday warned distribution companies to step up their service delivery or quit.
Fashola gave the warning at the opening ceremony of the 11th monthly stakeholders meeting in Lagos.
He said: “We all know the issues around metering and billing system; we must build the trust and confidence that customers’ complains will be addressed.
“We need to do whatever is possible in our various distribution areas to improve the quality of service and continue to train our personnel to recognise that customer is king.
“If we cannot provide or solve their problems, we own it a duty to explain what we are doing.
“We own it a duty to fish out a few members of staff; not all, because we have some dedicated staff.
“I am conscious of the challenges the operators are facing.
“We are working as hard as we can to make the environment more responsive to you and as I have said and will repeat that as pioneers, you will carry some burdens.
“You will have to sacrifice, perhaps more than what you have done,” he said.
Fashola said without the customers and the consumers, there would be no business.
“I think that all of us in the public and private sector must understand that. If you don’t have the skill and the patient to serve, leave.
“But I am optimistic that things will get better, I am optimistic that we can win together and we can win for the Nigerian people.”
On the liquidity issues, Fashola said government was working with other development partners.
“Local and international partners would have shown commitment and inspiring appetite to play in this market.
“We are trying to see what we can do together to bring the liquidity issues under some control and from there eventually solve it.
“Our partners in government are also inspiring and showing understanding of what the challenges are. So, it is quick decision-making now.
“Collaboration and decisions will be fair, but firm, and we expect that people will respect the decisions and also processes to be re-engaged as they come,” the minister said.
Managing Director, Ikeja Electric Mr. Anthony Youdeiwoe described 2016 as a challenging year for stakeholders.
According to Youdeiwoe, though, the challenges still remain, they are better discussed whenever we meet like this.”
He said efforts were also ongoing to address the challenges and proffer solutions.
