MEET THE STAFF SERIES

ATC&C Loss Reduction, PPM Revenue Increment, All Due To Passion and Team Work

 -Team Lead, Billing Operations/ Database

CCD: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

MK: My name is Monsur Oladipupo Kazeem, an indigene of Ogun State, South West Nigeria. I studied computer science at Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu and later obtained a Post-Graduate Diploma in Software Design from the Kaduna State University.

Prior to joining Kaduna Electric, I worked with the following companies: Tempo Food and Packaging, Siemens Limited Nigeria, Oh Star Satellite (a franchise of Multichoice Nigeria) and Memmcol. While at Memmcol, I participated in the design, development and deployment of the first indigenous Billing System in Nigeria (EMS), which is currently being used in Eko, Ibadan, Enugu and Kano Discos.

I joined Kaduna Electric on 1^st of September 2015. I am Team Lead Billing Operations/Database in the ICT department.

CCD: Can you share with us some of the support the ICT Department is rendering to other Department/Units?

MK: ICT Department as you know is a support Department; we provide solutions to issues and automate manual processes through the use of technology. 

For instance, we supported the enumeration project, project 415, re-alignment of customers along Distribution Transformers (DT) and feeders, network connectivity to the HQ from different cash offices for PPM vending, provision of access to internet at the HQ, implementation of wireless access points, implementation of security policies on KE's network and servers, installation maintenance and repairs of IT equipment etc. 

CCD: We learned from good authority that you spearheaded the successful execution of the online vending system, automatic meter reading implementation and other value-added ICT projects.  Please can you explain to us what you actually did and the benefit to the company?

MK: When we came onboard, we made some observations which led to the execution of projects like upgrading of server hardware resources and operating system, Centralization of PPM Network, Centralization of PPM Databases (Birnin Kebbi, Sokoto, Gusau and Zaria), Merging of Pole Mounted Meters platform (PMU installed in Kaduna South) with the main PPM database, implementation of Domain Controller and active directory etc. All of these we achieved as a team under the supervision of the Head ICT, Mr. Yasir Abdussalam.

Some of the projects listed above led to the actualization of online vending, the benefit of which include:

1.     Creation of multiple and convenient vending options for our customers.

2.     Reduction of queue at various cash offices across our franchise states.

3.     Increase in PPM revenue.

4.     Reduction in PPM by-pass as a result of easy access to vending platforms etc. 

As for the Automated Meter Reading system, we have been on the project since mid-last year with the Metering Department and our partners in Egypt. With the new CTO- Mr. Rajendra Sethiya- onboard, the team has been further motivated to bring the project to fruition. 

With this achievement, we can accurately measure what energy is delivered to every feeder and the amount of energy consumed on each of them. Also, we can:

1.     Communicate with meters via GPRS network.

2.     Remotely download data from the meters (installed on feeders and MD customer premises) for analysis.

3.     Receive tampering alert from meters from their various locations.

4.     Remotely set parameters on the meters.

5.     Remotely disconnect a meter (provided that the facility is incorporated into such meters).

In respect to how much all these have helped the business, I will say it has improved monitoring of meter status and consumptions as well as help to reduce Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) losses.

CCD: What is the total cost of the entire project to the company?

MK: As regards the implementation of online vending and the AMR meters, there were no costs at all. We only put existing resources to use.

CCD: If all these were done at zero cost to the company, what motivates you to do it?

MK: My passion for what I do and ability to look inward to identify existing resources that can be put to use, coupled with the way we operate in the Department as a family. Whenever there is an issue in any of the units, we see it as Departmental problem and work together until it is resolved.

CCD: What is the advantage of having the recently installed network printer in the Head Office building?

MK: The job of ICT Department is to identify problems and proffer solutions to them where and when necessary. You will agree with me that not every office in this complex has access to printer. Providing printers for each office will gulp up a lot of money, hence the directive from the CTO that we install the billing printers that are currently not being used as shared printing resources on each floor (we have started with the 5^th floor).  Here are some of what we have been able to achieve:

1.     Everyone will have access to a printer. 

2.     The money that would have been used to procure countless number of printers will be channeled towards other projects.

3.     Resources that would have been rendered useless are being put to effective use.

4.     Easy and a cost-effective maintenance of the printers since there are few of them.

CCD:  Thank you for sparing time to talk to us?

MK: It is always a pleasure.