Power utility giant – ZESCO has granted both domestic and commercial customers a COVID-19 Relief Package to cushion the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic on selected low households and small business.
The three-fold relief package cancels all accumulated fixed tariff charges for over 71,000 customers; temporarily suspends recovery of accumulated outstanding debt for prepaid customers, and issued Covid-19 relief of 100 units for purchase of electricity economically disadvantaged customers (numbering about 460,000 circa 460k) whose monthly consumption of electricity does not exceed 200 units as recorded during the period of the pandemic.
In a statement made available to Zambian Business Times – ZBT, ZESCO Managing Director, Victor Mundede said that the corporation has noted the adverse economic and social impact of Covid-19 pandemic on customers that also resulted in decline in revenue for ZESCO.
He told ZBT that the corporation has decided to provide some relief to mitigate the negative impact of the Coronavirus on small business that ultimately reduced the quality of daily livelihood for its customers. He said that these measures will run up to April 2021 subjected to review.
Mundende stressed the need for ZESCO to support the multi-sectoral approach led by Government to ensure the sustainability of social and economic welfare of the people under the current environment resulting from Covid-19 Pandemic.
He added that although ZESCO Limited had themselves been negatively impacted by both the Covid 19 pandemic as well as the depreciation of the kwacha against the US Dollar, which had both reduced revenues as well as increased costs related to servicing of foreign currency denominated financial obligations, ZESCO had found it prudent to temporarily mitigate the plight of low income customers who had been severely impacted by the reduced economic activities.
He has urged all the affected customers to take advantage of this gesture and purchase electricity units under the new dispensation, and where applicable, to make a fresh start. He added that ZESCO remains on realizing its mission of making it easy for people to better their lives by enhancing service delivery.
Zesco had announced the crossings of 1 million customers and this relief package is close to 50% of their customer base. The covid 19 relief measures by Zesco needs to be embraced across various utility companies such as water companies to provide a lifeline during the pandemic.
