KADUNA ELECTRIC NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER EDITION

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Non-Meter Deployment, DSS Director Wades in For Maru Community 

By Mohammed Abbah

 The Director of State Security Service (DSS), Zamfara State Command, Hadi U. Sudawa has called on the management of Kaduna Electric to provide enough prepared meters as a way out of the persistent disagreement between the company and its customers. 

 The Director, who made this call in a meeting with representatives of Kaduna Electric and the people of Maru in his office, said he receives several complaints daily from the public concerning estimated bills and non-provision of prepaid meters amongst others.  

He called on the company to as a matter of urgency take proactive measures to resolve the issues. 

The transformer serving the people of Maru, according to him, needs an urgent replacement adding that the situation has worsened the supply of power to the community.  

He called on both parties (Kaduna Electric and Maru Community) to resolve their differences amicably while urging the company to put more efforts in sensitizing its customers about its services to get the cooperation and understanding of the customers.  

“My Area Command is always ready to give you adequate support, make your business peaceful and protect your lives and properties”. 

Speaking, the Emir of Maru Alh. Abubakar Chika Ibrahim accused Kaduna Electric of neglecting his people despite the cooperation he has been giving the company by urging the people to pay their bills promptly. 

  “I have no other way of describing this other than a discrimination against the people of Maru. Our transformer was stolen, you promised to repair and return it.  I am aware that several reports and complaints have been sent to your table but nothing was done about it”.

 Reacting, the Business Development Relationship Officer (BDRO), Malam Aminu Aminu dismissed all the allegations while pointing out that the activities of the company is highly regulated and that for energy supply to be steady, the people must endeavor to settle their bills to enable the company to maintain its equipment. 

“We respect our customers, we are here for business and we are one family. We have no right to stop giving you supply. And since we are in business to make profit, we cannot do it without you. We don't discriminate against anybody, we respect everybody and we will continue to give you adequate support for the development of the state”. 

 The BDRO assured the community that management is making arrangement to resolve the issue of meters within the shortest time possible adding that customers need to settle their bills as at when due so that company can procure the meters. 

On the issue of over billing, he said the customers are billed according to their consumption. 

In closing, the BDRO thanked the DSS Director for weighing in on the matter and proffering solutions.

Rigasa Area Office, Tudun Wada Community Rub Minds On How to Improve Supply 

By Danjuma Abubakar 

The Rigasa Area Office in continuous effort to improve services to its customers has visited the people of Tudun Wada Community in Kaduna with a view to resolving some issues beneficial to both parties.  

Speaking at the meeting, the Business Development and Relationship Officer (BDRO), Rigasa Area Office, Mallam Ibrahim Mohammed called on the community and opinion leaders to talk to their people on the need to pay their bills and to create an enabling environment for the staff of the company to operate without fear of attack.

The Head Corporate Communications, Abdulazeez  Abdullahi  who was represented by the Team Lead Media and Community Relations, Mallam Idris Muhammad, stressed the need for customers to settle their bills and protect all Kaduna Electric installations in the community. 

The community leaders pleaded with the company to stop the practice of isolating an entire community for the offense of few customers who have not settled their bills as this affects paying and pre-paid customers. 

They also pledged to mobilize all electricity users in the area to settle their bills as and when due. 

Both parties however, agreed to work together to ensure early restoration of power supply to the community.  

The interactive session, which was at the instance of Tudun Wada North Forum, was held at Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi Mosque Hall in Tudun Wada Kaduna.

What We Intend to Achieve With 3-Eye-Approach- Sokoto DE

By Umar Mohammed 

The prevalence of vandalization of electricity installations has reached an unprecedented dimension especially in Sokoto Area Office, the Distribution Engineer (DE), Engr. Usman Abba has disclosed while enumerating the efforts the company is putting in place to combat the menace. 

Engr. Abba who was speaking with Kaduna Electric News recently in Sokoto said it is adopting a multidimensional approach in managing the growing number of vandalism. 

He stated that vandalism is not peculiar to Kaduna Electric but an industry problem, which is hampering the delivery of steady power to end users. 

He went further to reveal what he called the 3-eye-approach in solving the problem of unauthorized tampering of electrical installations. These are: vigilance by staff resident in the areas (first eye), customers and Community Leaders, District Heads (second eye), and then the Police, NSCDC, BDM security, Vigilante groups (third eye).

“We cannot be everywhere at every time so we have taken to these three levels of vigilance and it has started yielding results. Only recently, two suspected vandals were apprehended by the Community Vigilante, who handed them over to the Police; what you can describe as a collaboration of the Second and Third Eyes. 

The involvement of stakeholders is because they are closer to these installations and first to bear the brunt”.  

He appealed to the customers and all stakeholders to partner with the company in securing the company’s equipment adding that they (customers) will be first to feel the pain while the company will suffer revenue loss.  

The partnership according to him, involves timely reporting of faults, energy conservation, prompt settlement of bill, protecting our networks from vandals, stopping illegal energy theft and by-pass of meters and giving the company’s staff, the cooperation needed to carry out their responsibility. 

He equally warned the customers to stop paying money to unauthorized sources/persons but patronize the other payments channels that are available to ensure that their payments are properly documented.   

You Are Owners Too of Kaduna Electric 

By Muhamad Abbah 

The Business Development Relationship Officer (BDRO), Gusau Area Office, Mallam Aminu Aminu has charged staff to be good ambassadors of Kaduna Electric and commit to improving the fortunes of the company. 

The BDRO made the call while addressing Supervisors of the area during the Monthly Cash Collection Review in Gusau recently. 

According to him, the success of the company depends on the customers’ perception of the business, which he said could impact on their response to payment of bills.  

“Therefore, you as Supervisors must play the role of ensuring that your subordinates are properly guided and consult them where necessary so as to project positive image out there. 

Aminu told the Sales team that its performance for last month was “terribly low” and that this created a drawback for the Area Office generally.

The situation, he said must be put in check and Supervisors must take ownership of the job adding that it is unnatural for business owners to allow their business to fail.

 “We cannot continue doing business without making a profit. Find a way to make the customer pay for the services he has enjoined. This is why customers should be enlightened from time to time to encourage to them to pay and appreciate our efforts in ensuring that they get steady supply of electricity”.

Also speaking, the Senior Marketing Supervisor (SMS) Mr. Pius Anthony Abah tasked the Supervisors to leverage on the ongoing Customer Enumeration in generating revenue for the company.  

 “When you enumerate your customers properly, it gives you an idea of the total number of customers that should be billed”. 

Collection procedure must be in line with the company’s policy and let me emphasize that you should accept monies from customers offering to settle some part of their bills. It is your duty to pursue the rest”.