MEET THE STAFF SERIES

Fighting Energy Theft Requires Tenacity and Patience - Nafiu Inuwa

CCD: Tell us a bit about yourself?

NI: My name is Nafi'u Inuwa from Enforcement and Assessment Unit. I'm presently, the Team Lead, Doka Enforcement team covering both Doka South and North.

CCD: What are your Primary Responsibilities?

NI: My primary responsibility is ensuring reduction of collection and commercial as well as technical losses. This involves monitoring and certifying meters which includes MD and PPM within Doka AOs.

CCD: Report reaching us indicate that most of the prepaid meters have been compromised, is this an indication that your unit is not doing enough?

NI: I don't know where you are getting the report that most PPM meters had been compromised. It is fallacy to say that most meters had been compromised. However, it’s a known fact that no matter the effort that we are doing to reduce meter bypass, we can't actually stop it completely. As you try to block some energy theft cases, new ones will spring up. Between January 2018-2019 we caught close to 300 customers with all kinds of infractions (internal & external) bypasses. This record tells you that we have not been relaxing.

CCD: What are the major challenges you encounter?

NI: Our challenges are many but major amongst them are:

1- Lack of training

2- Motivation

3- Security (i.e with regards doing our work)

CCD: Some of our customers are now so ingenious that they carefully by passes meter internally that is often difficult to detect, how do you detect such internal bypass?

NI: Lately, bypass has become so sophisticated that it will take you hours sometimes days to detect. Customers are deploying new tactics, employing people who will always try to do one sophisticated bypass or the other. We've got good staff in Enforcement who possessed the expertise to check all kinds of bypass. However, the more you acquaint yourself with some sophisticated methods of bypass, the more the new ones will come up. Lastly, having Meter Lab is also helping in detecting sophisticated bypass.

CCD: What are the different penalties for energy theft?

NI: There are different categories of penalties. There is the first offense charge for 3 phase which is 100,000 (as reviewed recently by NERC)

There is also first offense charge for 1phase which is 50,000. There are also second offense for 3phase which is 150,000 and 75,000 for 1 phase.

CCD: How do you see the recent inauguration of Special investigation and Prosecution Task Force on Electricity Offences, SIPTEO?

NI: The recent inauguration of SIPTEO is a welcome development as it will help KE reduce energy loss while taking punitive measures against recalcitrant customers.

CCD:What do you consider as your major achievement since you assumed duty?

NI: In terms of Naira and Kobo, between January 2018 to January 2019 Doka collected 30 million in LOR, Penalty, meter fee and Reconnection.

Second achievement has to do with fostering good working relationship amongst the teams. Managing people has been one of the most difficult task in any organization.

CCD: How best do we checkmate energy theft and other offences?

NI: Checkmating energy theft involves data analysis (probing customer vending history and energy supply to  a feeder) and some time it require physical monitoring while also hoping to receive intelligence information and from friendly customers

CCD: Any appeal or suggestion to staff or management?

NI: I will like to appeal for continuous support (in terms of providing tools, training and motivation) from management as well as continuous cooperation with other departments.

Before I close, I want to use the opportunity to extend my appreciation to the staff of Assessment cell, my Doka family (team) as well Engr. Ahmed Isa, Doka Area Manager and Eng Gumel and my other colleagues at other Area offices. 

I want to close by thanking you and also remind each and every staff that EVERY KILOWATT MATTERS and EVERY KOBO COUNTS