Clou, a Chinese high-tech company, and its Nigerian partners, Jumbo Goois Global Services, are set to establish a smart prepaid meter assembly plant in Bayelsa.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Jumbo Goois Global Services, Mr Timipre Ogoibiri, who led the delegation of the company, disclosed this at Government House, Yenagoa, in a presentation to Gov. Douye Diri on Tuesday.
In the company’s presentation of its plans for the proposed project, the Head of Operations, Mr Chris Osazuwa, said the specification of the meters were unique and would meet Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) standards.
Osazuwa, said the prepaid meter was designed to function remotely, whereby a token can recharge the device from any location.
He also stated that the project was capable of engaging 1,000 engineering and non-engineering graduates.
While requesting for the state government to provide the enabling environment for the project, he commended governor Diri for the level of security in the state.
“At the moment, the specification of the prepaid meter we are going to be producing for Bayelsa, it is only that of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company that is close to it.
“What we have designed is similar to the type in Ghana. It is capable of blocking any revenue leakages and these meters can communicate remotely. It means you can vend from your smart phone wherever you are and it recharges.
“Our first order is for about 1, 500 of both single and three-phase prepaid meters. That would give us the opportunity to come and build an assembling plant here.
“Bayelsans would be employed. About 1,000 youths, engineering and non-engineering graduates would be employed. What we are asking for is just the enabling environment.
“There is a whole lot that this meter can do. The first phase is pre-installation. Meaning we are going to engage about 500 youths to carry out enumeration of houses that would be keyed into the server,” he said.
Responding, Diri said his government had opened its doors to development and investment partners, while expressing optimism that the partnership would bring a turning point in power, as well as the economy of the state.
Recalling his administration’s recent agreement with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on power consumption, Diri noted that electricity was not free.
He emphasised that the only way 24-hour electricity can be sustained was for consumers to pay for their consumption, saying that Bayelsans, who yearned for 24-hour power supply, should brace up to pay their electricity bills.
Diri frowned at the controversy over estimated billing which, he said, had over the years caused friction between consumers and distributors of power.
He called on the company not to join in producing over-estimated meters, but give the state a product that would give value for money.
