KADUNA ELECTRIC NEWSLETTER JULY 1ST EDITION

ECOWAS Youth Parliament Honours MD, Kaduna Electric

The Economic Community of West African States Youth Parliament has conferred the prestigious Pan African Gold Award on the Managing Director/CEO of Kaduna Electric, Engr. Garba Haruna for his youth empowerment initiative in the areas of scholarship and job creation for the youth.

Speaking during the investiture of the MD in Kaduna last week, the Deputy Speaker of ECOWAS Youth Parliament, Ambassador Olasukanmi Kolawole said they were not only in Kaduna to present the Pan African Gold Award to him, but also to motivate and encourage him to continue doing the good work.

He announced that the ECOWAS Youth Parliament is proud to be associated with Engr. Garba Haruna because he is “a role model, a pillar of support, pathfinder, an epitome of good leadership, and an icon of hope not only to Kebbi State but to Nigeria and West African youth at large”.

Ambassador Olasukanmi expressed optimism that the Award will further motivate the Managing Director/CEO of Kaduna Electric, Engr. Garba Haruna to put in more effort in everything he is doing. “Giving you this award does not mean you are the best, but it means you are putting in your best in everything you are doing”, he added.

Responding, The Award recipient, Engr. Garba Haruna thanked the Ecowas Youth Parliament for the honour bestowed on him.  He said he “felt humbled by some of the qualities attributed to him and promised to work harder for the betterment of society and humanity in general”.

The Deputy speaker of the Parliament, Ambassador Olasukanmi Kolawole and was accompanied by some members of parliament from Togo, Ivory Coast and Mali.

NSCDC Sokoto Command, Applauds Kaduna Electric

Kaduna Electric has been commended for their efforts in ensuring steady and reliable power supply in Sokoto State.

This commendation was given by the Head, Department of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Sokoto Command, DCC, Bello Alkali Argungu when he paid a courtesy visit to Sokoto Regional office recently.

DCC Bello explained that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps is the number one stakeholder of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company and went further to explained the activities of the department in the power sector nationwide, particularly in Sokoto State.

He said the Department was actively involved in the provision of security to critical national assets like power supply installations since its creation in 2013. “We have been deploying our personnel to provide security at your installations since the days of Power Holding Company of Nigeria ( PHCN) as well as monitoring of our armed personnel at the various distribution substations,  Transmission substations, Service Centres in Sokoto metropolis such as Gwiwa Business Unit, Marina Business Unit, Birnin Kebbi Road Injection Substation”, he stated.

He gave assurance that the Department is ready to give the Company maximum support more especially in the area of curbing the menace of vandalism and energy theft.

Earlier, the Business Development & Regional Officer, Masaoud Salisu Abdulkadir, revealed that the major challenge facing Kaduna Electric is vandalism of the Company’s equipment and installations. He noted that incessant cases of vandalism are affecting quality supply.

According to him, the Company Regional office recorded 38 cases of vandalism in Sokoto metropolis alone in the last six months with most of these incidences happening at distribution substations.” 

He solicited for the cooperation of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, community leaders, the Police, Department of State Security Services, other security agencies and stakeholders to curtail the menace.

Another challenge facing the Company as disclosed by the BDRO is inadequate returns on investment as a result of nonpayment of electricity bills by the customers. He noted “non-payment of electricity bills is affecting quality and quantity of power supply to customers”.

Masood urged the State Commandant of NSCDC to use his good office to ensure that all formations under his Command pay their bills as at when due for better Service.

iRecharge Reward Loyal Customers, Kaduna Electric Staff

It was a celebration galore last Thursday, 5^th July 2018 when Infostrategy Technology, the promoter of Irecharge online payment platform rewarded customers of Kaduna Electric who used the platform to settle their electricity bills and staff of the Company. 

Conducting the raffle draw, the representative of irecharge.ng, Ms. Ruqayya Oyawoye disclosed that the prizes were in two categories; that of the customers and the Sales Representatives of Kaduna Electric.

She announced that eight customers emerged winners in the customers’ category for their loyalty to the brand and for prompt settlement of their bills in the month of June 2018. These customers were rewarded with vouchers to enable them settle their next months’ bills.

On the Sales Reps category, four staff of Kaduna Electric were rewarded for demonstrating commitment towards promoting the brand. The winners in the Staff category were Tasiu Ibrahim, a Sales Rep with Makera Regional Office who emerged overall best and won an IPAD; Hassan Buratai of Doka Regional Office emerged second best and won an Android phone, while Safiya and Stella won seven and four thousand-naira vouchers respectively.

Ms. Oyawoye further revealed that the gesture was Irecharge’s modest way of contributing towards improving the liquidity situation in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, while at the same time providing convenient avenue through which electricity users could pay their bills.

In his welcome message, the Chief Commercial Officer, Mal Murtala Bello, who represented the Managing Director/CEO of Kaduna Electric, called “on customers to patronise all the online payment platforms put forward by Kaduna Electric as they are safe, customers friendly and saves a lot of time and highly effective”. He congratulated the winners and wished them more success in subsequent months.

In his closing remarks, Mal. Abdulazeez Abdullahi, Head Corporate Communication thanked iRecharge for the gesture.

Bungudu LG Boss Appeals For More Power, Promise Support To Kaduna Electric

The Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area in Zamfara State, Alhaji Abdulazeez Sa’ad Nahuce, has appealed to the Management of Kaduna Electric, Gusau Regional Office to improve the quality of power supply to the Local Government while assuring the Company of the Council’s support.

The Chairman made the appealed during an engagement with stakeholders in the Area, held at Bungudu Local Government Secretariat on Thursday, 12^th July, 2018.

Cross Section of Stakeholders at the Engagement

He called on the Gusau Regional Office to establish a proper and effective channel of communication between the Company and its customers, stressing that these will go along way in bridging the communication gap between the two parties and reduced frequent misunderstanding.

“My office and the Emirate are ready to give any support needed to ensure that all the problems you are facing are resolved amicably so that our communities should be getting adequate power supply, we promise to give you our maximum cooperation and ensure that our people pay electricity bills when you supply us with adequate power supply" he stated.

Alhaji Abdulazeez Nahuce stressed the need for urgent massive customers’ education which according to him is currently lacking. “The Company should take the responsibility of their activities that can make customer understand that you are here for change, you cannot expect your customers to replace and repair your installed equipment’s from his own personal pocket, you sincerely have to change your mode of operations" he noted.

In his contribution, the leader of Bungudu Local Government Youth Association, Malam Sagir Musa decried the incessant power interruption in the area and called on the Company to address the situation. He pledges the cooperation and support of the youth in the area to the Company

Responding, the HRB Manager, Gusau Region, Abdullahi Muhammad Bundur who represented the Business Development & Regional Officer thanked the members of the community for the wonderful cooperation they have been giving the Company and hope that such will continue.

He further noted that Kaduna Electric provides equal services to all its customers without discrimination, stressing that "power is a commodity that cannot be stored, the moment we get it is the moment we supply to the customers."

On the problem of Maru-Bungudu line, the Company is doing everything possible to ensure reasonable stability on the line but cautioned that such will not be achieved if customers do not settle their bills as at when due.

Talking about some staff who form the habit of taking money from customers in the name of repairing equipment, he advised that the people concerned should report such staff to the Regional Office and that they should always demand for official ID card of any staff who made such ridiculous request from the public.

Regarding bills payment, he advised the customers to always go to the office, bank or use the online payment channels established by the Company to avoid paying their money to a wrong person.

High points of the engagement were questions and answer session where the stakeholders were availed with the opportunity to seek clarifications on issues not well understood and to offer useful suggestions.