MEET THE STAFF SERIES

Work Challenges Sharpen My Leadership Skills

CCD: May we meet you?
AD: My name is Ahmad Danjuma Sulaiman.  I am an indigene of Bida Local Government, Niger State. I was born and brought up in Kaduna state. I schooled in Kaduna, Abuja, Kano and Niger states. I have OND in Banking and Finance and BSc in Economics.

CCD: Tell us what it is like supervising a Service Center?

AD: As a supervisor I oversee the whole Service Centre, which includes staff and the customers. Generally, a supervisor puts the resources, people, money, information, facilities, and equipment in to the best/profitable use in order to help the company achieve its goals. 

CCD: A 150-million-Naira target has just been set for Gusau Area Office for the month of February, how do you intend to achieve that?

AD: My vision and strength towards achieving the target of 150m Naira is already in progress. Firstly, there is an ongoing re-enumeration of illegal and/or uncaptured customers to enable us record their payments, correction of over/under billings, enhanced personal marketing, strengthened collaboration with the LG chairman, traditional leaders and other stakeholders, among others, to help us increase our collection.

CCD: The State CID, Zamfara State, recently detained you; tell us what happened?

AD:  I was detained at State CID on Monday, 22nd January 2018 on account of the disconnection of the private residence of His Excellency, Alhaji AbdulAziz Yari Abubakar, Governor of Zamfara State. This detention, we were told, was carried out on his instruction. I think he was told that some hoodlums disconnected his residence, thereby endangering him and his family.

I have taken the experience as a challenge, because challenges are inevitable in life and we must always learn from it; in fact, I am prepared for any other form of challenge.  It is part of the experience of growing as a leader.

Challenges only come to make us better and stronger. If I am given directive to disconnect any customer who has refused to pay his bills, whatever his position, I will gladly do it.

CCD: There are speculations that a lot marketing staff are not committed to their job, how true is this?

We are often misjudged that we do not treat this business as if it is ours.  That is a misconception. I tell my colleagues in Mafara that they should not allow our efficiency to be affected by inadequate resources or by situations when we are faced with threats.

CCD: You just mentioned threats as some of the challenges you face. What then is your relationship with the security agencies?

AD: We have a cordial relationship with the various security agencies, such that whenever we need their assistance, they respond as quickly as possible.

Even though, my recent experience with the DPO was not palatable, he was acting under an instruction to arrest us from where we were taken to the state CID. Otherwise, we have a good relationship with the police and on our part we try not to be on the wrong side of the law.

CCD: Any appeal or suggestions to staff and management?

AD: My advice to management is to give staff welfare a priority alongside their efforts to achieve the mission and vision of the company.

They should provide them with a peaceful, conducive and safe working environment because it is with the workforce that a vision can be achieved; 'without the goose, there would be no golden eggs'.

Recognition and encouragement should be given to deserving staff. 

Lastly, to my colleagues: they should be dedicated, passionate and have positive attitude in the discharge of their duties.