BEDC Officials Meet with NIEPA Management to Enhance Power Supply for Staff Welfare and Productivity

Today, Monday, June 23, 2024, the Acting Director-General of the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), Dr. David Shofoyeke, in the company of his management team, received officials of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) led by Remi Faola, Regional Head, and Afolabi Saheed, Regional Maximum Demand Manager, Ondo.

The meeting focused on ways to improve power supply to the institute, with the BEDC officials briefing the institute management on their operations and discussing different power supply bands. The Regional Head advised NIEPA to consider migrating to Band A, which would guarantee 20 hours of power supply daily. He also emphasized the importance of prompt payment of electricity bills to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

Welcoming the guests, the Acting Director-General, Dr. David Shofoyeke, expressed his profound gratitude to the BEDC officials for their visit, describing it as a demonstration of their commitment to collaborative problem-solving. He reiterated NIEPA’s commitment to staff welfare, noting that reliable power supply is essential for boosting staff morale and productivity. “Power supply is not just a utility, but a means of boosting staff morale and productivity,” he said.

Also speaking at the meeting, the Bursar of the Institute, Mrs. Lolade Shittu, expressed her appreciation for the BEDC officials’ efforts to address NIEPA’s power needs. She noted that stable power supply would greatly enhance the institute’s financial operations and other financial obligations. “A reliable power supply will significantly reduce our operational challenges and allow us to focus on our core mandate,” she added. She also highlighted that NIEPA often pays more than its actual monthly billing, and this should be considered a plus when BEDC evaluates the institute’s patronage and commitment to the company.

Head of Estate, Works and Services in the Institute, Engineer Emma Ajayi, pointed out areas of improvement to include facility and line management. These according to him often pose hazards to staff assigned and should be taken over by BEDC since they are well equipped to handle such jobs.

Rounding off the meeting, NIEPA’ Registrar, , Dr. Festus Olaoli, appealed to BEDC to improve their services to the institute. He assured them that NIEPA is fully aware of its financial obligations as a client and would always meet up with its payments. He further requested that BEDC prioritize NIEPA’s power supply needs, given the institute’s commitment to fulfilling its financial responsibilities.

Other NIEPA officials present at the meeting included Mr. Bola Adebola Adejori , Deputy Bursar, and Bodunde Tenabe , Media Officer, who anchored the proceedings.