KADUNA ELECTRIC NEWSLETTER DECEMBER EDITION

Emirs of Gwandu, Argungu Charge Kaduna Electric on Efficient Service Delivery.

By Najib Muhammad Atuwo

Emir of Argungu Alh Samaila Muhammadu Mera (4th from left) and Management of Kebbi AO

The Emir of Gwandu Alh. Muhammadu Iliyasu Bashar and his Argungu counterpart, Alh. Samaila Mohammed Mera have called on the Company to do whatever it takes to ensure more efficiency and stability in power supply in Kebbi State.

The Emirs made the call in separate remarks when the Management of Kebbi Area Office led by the Area Manager, Abdulwahab Suleiman, paid the courtesy visit to their palaces recently.

The Emir of Gwandu, who is also the Chairman, Kebbi State Council of Chiefs, Alh. Muhammadu Iliyasu Bashar expressed his appreciation for the gesture and charged the Area Manager to live up to his responsibility by ensuring more stability in power supply.

He pledged the Emirate’s readiness to assist the Company in areas of community mobilization and sensitization of the electricity consuming public on the importance of prompt settlement of bills and guarding against vandalism of power supply equipment.

While at the palace of Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Sama’ila Mohammed Mera, he congratulated the Area Manager on his recent redeployment to Kebbi Area Office and charged him on the need to embark on extensive consultation with critical stakeholders and public enlightenment.

According to the Emir, “this will drastically reduce friction and misunderstanding between the company and its customers”. He prays to Almighty Allah to guide the Kebbi Management in the discharge of the duty.

In his response, the Area Manager, AbdulWahab Suleiman thanked the Royal Fathers for receiving the team in their palaces and pledged to work had to ensure improvement in service delivery in the State.

He solicited for the assistance of the Emirs in mobilizing their subject towards prompt settlement of electricity bills.

Management Honours Former Chief Finance Officer, Kabir Hamza

By Asma’u Mohammed

The Management and a cross section of the Company’s staff, Friday 20^th December, 2019 organized a send-forth in honour of Mr. Kabir Hamza, the former Chief Finance Officer and the immediate past Head of Finance Unit in the Franchising Department who recently resigned his appointment with the Company.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Garba Haruna who was represented by the Chief Driving Officer, Rahul Kumar described Kabir Hamza as “a stubbornly principled” officer who always play by the rules.

Mr. Kumar admonished Kabir Hamza to uphold the value system and works ethics he is known for and be a good ambassador of Kaduna Electric where ever he may find himself.

In his contribution, the expert on Capacity Building and Change Management, Capt. Sanjeev Kaushik congratulated Mr. Kabir and described him as an honest, kind and hardworking person given the challenging and sensitive nature, as well as the demand of the office he held.

The Head, Strategy and Business Excellence, Mahmud Suleiman described the outgoing Chief as a hardworking person who stops at nothing in ensuring the successful accomplishment of any task he set for himself.

According to him, “before Kabir came on board, we all knew how the Finance and Account department was, he brought a lot of improvements in term of up to date financial records to mention but a few which helps in dealing with the Regulator and other stakeholders in the electricity market”.

Earlier, the Company Secretary, Bar. Maryam Shehu described Kabir Hamza as a remarkable leader and expressed the readiness of the entire staff to put to use, the knowledge gained from him.

“We are sad to see you going Sir, your honesty is something we need to abide please don’t change, sincerity is very important; always be the Kabir we know which has only one face, may you encounter the most wonderful moment in your new beginning” she said.

Engr. Aliyu Abbas also described Kabir Hamza as leader who always abide by the Company’s rules and regulations. “Honestly if I have the power, I will not allow Kabir Hamza to leave Kaduna Electric because he is a complete definition of Kaduna Electric core values”, he said. Other Management and staff paid tribute to Mr. Kabir Hamza and described him as an epitome of a good leadership.

In his remark, Mr. Kabir Hamza thanked the Managing Director and the entire staff for the cooperation and support extended to him. “I am deeply humbled by the honor and the remarks made about me. I thank all of you for your cooperation and support during my stay. I must admit that my working here has exposed some of my hitherto unknown weakness and it has also shown me how strong I am”, he asserted.

Highlight of the event was the presentation of a parting gift on behave of the entire Kaduna Electric family and cutting of cake presided by the CDO Rahul Kumar.

Kaduna Electric Parleys Unguwan Dosa Community, Insists on Bills Payment.

By Ruqayyah Hamisu Abubakar

In its continued effort aimed at fostering greater understanding with the customers, Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company engaged the Unguwan Dosa (School Road) community at the Corporate Headquarters of Kaduna Electric.  

Representative of the Community who are out of supply due to non-payment of electricity bills met with the Management where issues of concern to both parties were discussed and areas of conflict resolved.

The Chief Engineering and Technical Services, Engr. Bello Musa explained the challenges the Company is facing and called on the community to live up to their side of the bargain.  He said that the Company has a monthly obligation of about 2billion Naira to the Nigerian electricity market.

“Until our customers learn to pay their bills as at when due, we shall not be able to meet our obligations to the market and this will surely affect our ability to provide efficient service”, he contended.  

He further stated that going by the minimum remittance order recently issued by NERC, Kaduna Electric is expected to remit nothing less than 1.5 billion monthly to both NBET and the Market Operator or risk losing its license.

He also decried the continued attack on staff by cross section customers whenever the staff are out for disconnection.

In his contribution, the Chief Marketing and Revenue Assurance Officer, Mal. Abubakar Jimeta said “the Company is willing to give power supply to its customers if they are willing to pay for what they consume”, warning that the Company cannot give supply to communities that perpetually default in payment of their bills. “The aim of any business is to make profit not lost”, he stressed.

He also called on the community leaders to desist from and discourage their members from any form of meter bypassing. He further lamented that almost 80% of pre-paid meters in Kaduna are by passed by customers and this is really affecting the revenue generation of the Company.

The leader of the Collage Road Sub-station, Hon. Bashir Ibrahim from said their transformer is one of the best in Unguwan Dosa in times of payment “he said they understood the challenges the Company is facing but also the Company should do justice for the customers.

Another community leader, Saidu Abdullahi applauded the Company for initiating the engagement and suggest that such meetings should be made a regular event.

He further charged the Management to intensify customers’ education and to also encourage their staff to redouble their efforts in making sure the Company succeed.

Engr Bello promised to go and review the Area to and know their problem, he also called on them to allow staff carry out their duty as required.

Inter Area Offices Soccer Competition: Doka Emerges Champion

By Ruqayyah Hamisu Abubakar

The Doka Area Office Football Team has emerged champion of this year’s Inter-Area Offices football competition after beating their Zaria Area Office’s counterpart by 2 goals to nil.

The final which was played at the main bowl of Ahmadu Bello stadium, Kaduna had the Chief Driving Officer, Mr. Rahul Kumar as the special guest of honour, the Chairman of Kaduna Electric Football Club and Chief, Franchising and Special Customers, Murtala Bello, the Expert in Capacity Building and Change Management, Captain Sanjeev Kaushik and many others.

The eventual winner, Doka team where rock solid, boasting of the best defense and eventually producing the best goals of the finals.

This year’s edition which was the second edition of the soccer competition had more teams/Area Offices in attendance as against the first edition held two years ago which featured only four (4) teams. from the then Area Offices within the main franchise Area of Kaduna.

Notable awards were given out at the event;

Best Team- Doka AOFC.

Best Coach, Doka Coach.

Golden Boot, Daniel Zaphania Rigasa AO

Golden Gloves Usman Doka AO and

Best supporters club was Doka fans.

The chairman of KEFC, Mal. Murtala Bello congratulated Doka Area Office.  He said “the aim and objective of the competition is to promote unity; togetherness and create peaceful and friendly atmosphere amongst employees across all the franchise states and Area Offices of the company while we can’t also ignore or overemphasize the many benefits of sports and the game of football in our physical and mental wellbeing”.

He also called on the players to use the competition to foster understanding and promote friendliness, comradeship and healthy rivalry among the Company's workforce. 

MEET THE STAFF SERIES

Ensuring 100% Customers’ Response is the Panacea to Poor Collection - Habibullah Suleiman                                                   

CCD: Briefly tell us about yourself?

HS: My Name is Habibullah Suleiman, I am from Kaduna State, a graduate of Bayero University Kano. Before joining this company, I was a teacher at Umar Bn Khattab Model School,  I also worked as a Sales Representative with PZ Walimar Plc and Pinnacle pharmaceutical.

CCD: When did you join the Company and what is your primary assignment?

HS: I joined this Company in September 2015 as a Sales Rep. in Marketing and Revenue Assurance Department. My responsibilities are vast, some of which are revenue generation, sensitization of customers, tracking of customers, capturing of new and illegal customers.

CCD: Please tell us more about the aspects of your responsibility and how do you manage your subordinates on their daily activities?   

 HS: I was one of the privileged Sales Representative that my hard work was noticed by the Management here in Zamfara Area Office, and was elevated to the position of a Service Centre Manager, I managed 11KVTudun Wada Service Centre which saw an upward improvement of revenue from 4.5million to 5.6million, also 11kV Gada biyu improved under my watch from 4.5million to 9.7million. This earned the feeder automatic elevation from yellow to green feeder. I was recently transferred to 33kV Kaura Namoda, this is my first month and there are good signs because we have moved from 2.5million to 3.9million. I have a strategy of taking full responsibility by tracking down the revenue generated by all sales Representatives, identifying the problem, the losses, energy management, and all this is being achieved by the support we get form  Zamfara AO Management.

CCD: Although this is not your first assignment as a Service Centre Manager, the task could be a difficult one, how are you coping especially in managing subordinates?                                                                                                              

HS: Its really easy managing my colleagues at work. Because for everyone I worked with, I let them see the importance of working as a team; I take responsibility for all actions or inactions of my sales Representative; I ensure that I provides the needed leadership and direction. This makes them more agile to work more efficiently, we worked both weekdays and most weekends, I can remember in the month of July when Gusau was on total blackout for two weeks and the power supply situation was poor, we devised a strategy in my Service Centre just to cover for losses. We had a morning and evening shift of cash drive, and this really helped us a lot. We thank Allah at that month. And this makes the management to recognize our effort at that month; I think we bagged second best Service Centre and the second best Sales Representative came from the Service Centre.

CCD: What are the challenges you face as the Service Centre Supervisor and how do you intend to overcome those challenges?                                  

HS: Challenges here at 33kV Kaura Namoda are almost same challenges of other places I have been to, low payment is something we battle with in our first month. And the arrangement of my predecessor with the communities for customers to pay after salary was difficult task we had to change but we thank Allah we are getting that corrected. Our first month is positive, the customers felt the changes in the system and I believed they will adjust

CCD: Any appeal or suggestion to staff or management?

HS: My appeal to my colleagues is to know that this is our company; our pride and this job is our security. We should just help it grow and I believe we will achieve together. The Management should also look into the welfare of staff, there are also shortage of staff especially in technical aspect.