FCT Water Board recovers N1.5bn in 2016, consumers still owing N1.8bn
NAN-H-95
Water
By Kabir Muhammad
Abuja, June 22, 2017 (NAN) The Acting Director, FCT Water Board, Malam Aminu Nahuce said that the board recovered N1.5billion in 2016 with the consumers still owing N1.8billion.
Nahuce said this when briefing newsmen on Thursday in Abuja as part of the activities marking two years in office of the present administration.
According to him, the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello has inaugurated a task force for the recovery of debt from consumers as over N1.8 billion has not been recovered.
He said the board and the task force would cajole, plead with the consumers to pay before resorting to the last option which would be disconnection.
The acting director assured that the board was doing everything possible to connect all those areas and districts that were not connected.
He noted that such areas include places like Gwagwa-Karmo axis and others settlements have been provided with public taps to be fetching from.
Nahuce said that all outstanding liabilities to contractors from the last administration have been offset with the help of FCT Administration while the board activities including billing, accounting and payroll have been automated.
He disclosed that there has been increment in urban water supply to 50 per cent to the city and environs.
“Introduction of the integrated billing system for payment and reconciliation of customer accounts (conventional, AMR) has been simplified.
“This is with the introduction of the use of customised Tellers/Bills which have a special features that aid customer accounts’ identification and makes updating of customer records more efficient and prompt among the benefits,’’ he said.
The acting director further said the board has created customer care desk in all the area offices and to ensure constant interaction via structured customer forums.
“These initiatives have improved customer access to the board for lodgement of complaints and redress which has engendered public confidence in the operations of the water board.
“Use of repayment metering to boost revenue collection and also control water usage. All these are some of our achievements,’’ he added. (NAN)
KM/AFA
Edited by Felix Ajide