MEET THE STAFF SERIES

 

We Have Built a Formidable Team Where Everyone Works Willingly Towards the Achievement of set Objectives...IGHO OKPAKO

 

IGHO OKPAKO, CM DOKA AO

CCD: Briefly tell us about yourself?

IOK: My name is Igho Okpako, I joined Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company on 1st September, 2015 as a Sales Representative. In December 1st, 2015, I was appointed Service Center Manager for the 11KV Constitution Road, Feeder. In 2017, I was transferred to 11KV NACB Feeder as SCM. In 2019, I was moved to 11KV Malali feeder in the same capacity then again, I was transferred to 11KV Unguwan Rimi Feeder, later in the same year I was transferred to 11KV Dawaki as SCM and in November 2021 I was promoted to the position of Commercial Manager DOKA Area Office till date.

CCD: What are your responsibilities as a Commercial Manager?

IOK: My primary responsibility is to ensure the following:

a. Ensure that all customer readings are accurately taken and maintenance is correctly captured before billing.

b. Timely submission of correct billing data to the Head Office for prompt bill printing.

c. Timely receipt of printed bills from the Head Office for onward dispatch to Service Center Managers.

d. Ensuring proper customer enumeration is carried out across all service centers.

e. Assist in preparation and conducting of internal performance reviews for the Area Office on a regular basis.

f. Ensuring all identified new customers are captured into the billing system.

g. Carry out customer engagements activities.

h. Minimize duplication of bills and rectification of any billing issues as well as ensuring customer complaints are resolved timely.

CCD: What are your challenges so far?

IOK: Some of the challenges I encountered are, but not limited to, Sales Representatives not taking full ownership of their clusters as expected. Billing Issues/Customer complaints.  PPM Alignment issues.

CCD: How do you intend to tackle all these challenges?

IOK: We do on the spot checks and mentor ship for the sales representatives, we also engage in constant reviews with the sales representatives and SCMs, thereby bringing to fore areas where they need to concentrate and make positive impacts. We gave a standing order to all the feeders not to go below the NERC capped threshold and approved KWH/amount for billing un-metered customers. we also engage in taking load assessments for customers thus ensuring energy is channelled to the right places, thereby reducing customer complaints on billing. By so doing, we have achieved 100% billing efficiency and reduced customer complaints on billing. These measures also have helped to reduce our ATC&C losses level to 62% as at February 2022. We have also done so many PPM alignments and its work in progress for us?

CCD: How do you specifically intend to improve the revenue collection of the Area  Office ?

IOK: Accurate billing of customers resulting in the willingness to pay because they are satisfied. We have a secretariat at the Area Office which reviews daily collections per SRS and Service Centers; this serves as a dashboard for us and gives us direction on where to hit and make positive impact. Ensuring all customer complaints are resolved within the shortest possible time. More Separations and capturing of customers, thereby reducing losses and improve collections. Ensuring all bills get to the customers and are captured on the bill distribution app within the approved time frame resulting in collection efficiency. Ensuring all our POS are functional and in use by the sale representatives because every kobo counts. Lastly, teamwork, we have built a formidable team in DOKA Area Office where everyone works willingly towards the achievement of set objectives.

CCD: Where do you see Doka Area Office in terms of performance and collection efficiency in a few months?

IOK: In the next few months, we will continue to work towards reducing the ATC&C Losses from the current 62% to the barest minimum level. We will strive to achieve 100% collection efficiency and continue to remain the Area Office with the highest collection efficiency month on month.

CCD: What is your appeal to the management/staff of Kaduna Electric?

IOK: I appreciate the management's effort towards staff welfare and reward for performance, let it continue to be so.  Also, to staff let's continue to be committed and work towards achieving Kaduna Electric 's goal of being the best supplier of electricity to its customers. Long live Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company.

 

 

 

MEET THE STAFF SERIES

 

More Dedication and Commitment Are all We Need to Make the Company Great…..Abbas Bello Marafa

Abbas Bello Marafa, Sokoto AO

CCD: -Can we have your brief profile?
ABM : Abbas Bello Marafa is my name. I am the service centre manager of Kaduna Road, Sokoto Central Area Office. I was born and brought up in Kaduna; I attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto for my first and second degree respectively.

CCD: What is it to be supervising a service centre?
ABM: -Being a Service Centre Manager has been quite an exciting experience; from the customers, fellow team members and the environment itself.

CCD: Can you share some of these experiences with us?
ABM: The experience provides an avenue to learn from others and share your experience with them. When I came on board, I took sometime to study the nature of my team members and customers; and subsequently created an enabling environment that would assist us in realisation of our set goals.

CCD what do you consider as the most challenging part of supervising people and managing customers?
ABM: One of the most challenging thing is understanding the
personalities of your team members and the nature of your customers. For instance, when I came on board, I noticed that quite a number of our customers don't pay their bills unless salaries are paid. And sometimes, it causes lots of setbacks to us. We quickly embarked on customers’ engagement; and the number is depreciating day by day.

CCD: So what is your total customer population and classification in Kaduna Road service centre?
ABM: we have a total number of 1800 customers we have 753 as post paid and 1047as prepaid we have the highest no of prepaid in Sokoto region.

CCD: How do you ensure fairness among your team members?
ABM: Having taken time to understand their weaknesses and strengths. I encourage them to work on their weaknesses so as to enable them contribute their quota optimally. I provide a level playing field to all members of the team. I delegate responsibilities  and monitor performances.

CCD: what do you consider as your major achievement since you assume duty in the Service Centre?
ABM: The good side of it is that  we've been able to make a remarkable improvement in revenue generation. Our greatest achievement is increasing our revenue base from 7M to 10.5M within three months

CCD Any appeal or suggestion to staff or Management?
ABM: We have all it takes to take  Kaduna Electric to the promise land. We only need to be more dedicated and committed to our work.

 

 

MEET THE STAFF SERIES

How I’m Coping with Kebbi South’s Vast Network-TM

Iliya Danjuma TM Kebbi South

CCD: Who is the man Iliya Danjuma?

The Man Iliya Danjuma was born in the family of Danjuma Musa Como on 16th May 1980.

ID: I attended Andi Como Primary School Zuru in 1988 to 1993, between 1993-1999 then further my study at Government Technical College Zuru where I obtained NABTEB Certificate in Electrical Installation.

Between 2000-2003 I secured admission in to then Waziri Umaru Polytechnic Birnin Kebbi where I studied Electrical/Electronic Engineering.

In the same year 2003 I got an appointment with National Electricity Power Authority as DSO from 2003  where I worked with the organization up to 2006 and then secured admission to further my education at same Waziri Umaru Polytechnic Birnin Kebbi and obtained HND in Electrical Engineering (Power and Machine) and  currently am the Technical Manager Kebbi South Area Office.

CCD: You are the Technical Manager, what is your job role entails?

ID: As Technical Manager I monitor performance of Electrical system and recommend improvement, also ensure efficient distribution of available energy to our customers, and providing Engineering support to operation and maintenance of power system, promote and maintain safety in the work place, also observe, establish safety regulations and procedures which I also coordinate and maintain activities within my area of coverage. Providing technical activities reports to the management on monthly basis and or as required, maintained and update power system assets

CCD: Kebbi South Area Office has a very vast area of coverage, how do you subsist with that?

ID: Dedicating myself to the work by making sure all my feeders are intact , by promoting clearing any fault on the network within specified time.

 Also engaged my technical staff to promptly respond to maintenance and clearing fault on any feeder within the network.

CCD: What are your contributions to the Area Office in terms of minimizing ATC&C loses?

ID: My contributions are to ensure routine maintenance on all my feeders, prompt inspection of the panels meters to ensure the VTs and CTs are properly functioning amongst others I also make sure right size of cables and conductors are use in our Distribution Transformer and the network.

CCD: What are you doing in limiting the rate of energy theft to the barest minimum?

ID: Customer engagement is the key and also proper monitoring of our power installations.

CCD: What is your appeal to the management of the company?

ID: The company should keep on encouraging the staff by making sure all operational instruments are provided for the improvement and growth of the company.

CCD: What is your advice to the staff in general?

ID: We have to be sincere, honest, punctual at our work place at all times, we should also not expose our company weakness or give out company information without permission.

 

Meet the Staff Series

 Timely Payment of Bills Goes Hand in Hand With Timely Bill Delivery….. Tubolaifa Opufou

CCD: Tell us a bit about yourself?

TO: I am Tubolaifa Opufou, an indigene of Delta State, born in Kaduna State: had my primary and secondary education in Kaduna State. I have a Higher National Diploma in Business Administration and Management from Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi and a Master’s Degree in Accounting & Finance from Ahmedu Bello University, Zaria.

Tubolaifa Opofou Premium Unit

I have worked with a Commercial Bank for five years before joining Kaduna Electric in 2015. I have been privileged to serve in the capacity of Service Center Manager for 11KV Village and 11KV Pama Service Centers respectively both in Barnawa Area Office and presently in Premium Customers Unit. I have managed customers in the premium space of Barnawa Area Office for a good working period and I was recently reassigned to manage premium customers in Rigasa Area Office for both Public and Private sectors.

I appreciate team work and believe in the word “we not I”, which is my motto for career growth.

CCD: How does a normal working day look like for you and your colleague in the MD unit?

TO: A normal working day for me and my colleagues in MD unit begins with a work -to-do schedule that guide us on activities to do for the day, these activities are been determined by the period of the month we are in as they range from meter reading, bill delivery, customers engagement and revenue drive activities, etc, while customer correspondence are usually a regular activity irrespective of the time of the month.

CCD: The maximum demand customers are the cash cow of the company, what are the challenges inherent in handling this class of customers.?

TO: The customers are highly rated group of customers in Kaduna Electric thus handling them goes with high level of professionalism with a full knowledge of what we sell. In handling the Premium Customers, one must have all the facts and present them logically without an iota of doubt. They are always interested in the details.

CCD: What is the average monthly billing of the customers you cover and what is your average collection efficiency?

TO: My average monthly billing is Nineteen Million Naira with an average collection efficiency of 95%.

CCD: How do you ensure that your customers respond to payment on time?

TO: Timely payment of bills goes hand in hand with timely bill delivery. I ensure bills are delivered within the shortest time frame of delivery after which I start engaging my customers and reminding them of the stipulated payment due date. Customer Relationship Management is my guiding tool for payment especially with what we sell- electricity service.

CCD: How do you deal with defaulting customers?

TO: Defaulting customers exist in all groups of customers within Kaduna Electric and customers within the premium space as the most difficult to manage since they are in a well rated category.

As a Relationship Officer that I am, I follow the approach of engaging them first with physical discussions having done reminders on payment due date, where this does not yield positive response in terms of payment; which in most cases it does; the unit issues disconnection notice to those that refused to comply.

The disconnection document usually prompts additional response for payment where we have cases of non-compliance; the unit is left with no option of going with Regulatory guidelines to suspend supply for such customer which usually is the last resort for a defaulting customer.

CCD: How well has the maximum demand customers accepted the cashless policy prescribed by the Regulator early last year?

TO: Cashless policy is a welcomed innovation to Maximum Demand Customers having more options to make electronic payment from the comforts of their offices which relieves them of the stress of visiting any of Kaduna Electric Offices for payment. 

CCD: Any suggestion or appeal to the staff or management?

TO: For Colleagues, I will appeal we all continue to have an Entrepreneurial Mind-Set in our work activities daily.

For Management, job rotation should be encouraged where necessary to reduce job monotony and boredom over a long period of same job description, staff placement on job role/description can be improved to get the best input from each staff and staff self-development should be encouraged and rewarded.

 

 

 

Meet The Staff Series

 

The More We Move Closer to Our Customers, the Greater the Benefits….. Aminu AbdurRahman

CCD- Briefly tell us about yourself?

Aminu Abdulrahman (CM) Kebbi East A/O

AA- I am Aminu Abdulrahman, graduate of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, I started my career in one of the commercials banks as Relationship Manager before joining Kaduna Electric as Sales Representative in 2015. In 2017, I was promoted to Service Center Manager and in 2021, I was appointed  as Commercial Manager, Kebbi East AO, a position I am holding till Date.

CCD- What are your responsibilities as a Commercial Manager  ?

AA- My Responsibilities as Commercial Manager are enormous but in summary, the following are expected from me; meeting the monthly collection target, ensuring billing efficiency, Use of company Apps, alignment of all PPM customers to their DT, ensuring that all connected customers are captured  and all new customers must be captured before service is provided, timely processing and distribution of bills, disconnection of defaulting customers, timely replacement of meters, timely & accurate reporting to Area Manager, etc. This is to ensure reduction of ATC&C losses.

CCD- What are the challenges so far?

AA- I don't actual like talking about challenges. However, we are here because of challenges; without challenges, we will not be here. Our challenges vary from difference Material resources and Human Resources. Materials Resources include but not limited to, Motorcycle, Operational vehicles, Ladders, Copper wires, Operating Rod. On the Human resources side, we need additional hands such as Linesmen, Sales Reps, Cashiers, and CSRs.

CCD- How do you intend to tackle all these challenges?

AA- All the challenges are within our limit, we will have short plan and long plan to resolve them. The following are some of the strategies we are adopting to address the challenges.,

a. Customers Population: We plan to increase our customer population by 50% through proper enumeration before the end of 2nd Quarter of 2022. Moreover, within two month, we have added 647 Customers to our data base.

 AT&C Loss: we project to reduce our AT&C loss and it has started reflecting from our energy advise if you compare November and December 2021. November energy advise was 4,413,596.02 but the December energy advise was 4,305,363.47. We are also focusing on ways to improve the revenue; as you aware, revenue is the backbone of our business and being a new-born, Kebbi East Area Office is attaching serious importance to revenue generation and blocking all leakages.

CCD– How do you specifically intend to improve the revenue collection of the Area Office?

AA- Our Area Office's projection for the 1st and 2nd Quarter 2022, we met the Area Office with the total Collection of 23,456,300, and Customers Population of 12750 with average Customer’s payment of #1,796.65. within two month (November and December 2021) we have increased the collection to N32,789,633.00, and average Customers Payment to #2,578.8. Our projection is to add #7,000,000 every month consistently to our previous month within the first quarter.

CCD- Where do you see Kebbi East Area Office in terms of performance and  collection efficiency in the next few months?

AA– In terms of Performance and collection efficiency, in all the parameters, we want to see Kebbi East Area Office among the top three performing Area Offices within the 1st and 2nd quarter of 2022 and beyond.

CCD- What is your appeal to the Management of Kaduna Electric?

AA- Firstly, I will like to use this medium on behalf of Kebbi East Area Office and the good people of Kaduna Electric to appreciate our top Management on the prompt payments of our allowances during the month of December 2021 that really helped, and the results reflected at the end of month to close a year with 3.2 billion Alhamdulillah.

Secondly, we have challenges as stated above, we are appealing to the Management to assist in seeing to the resolution of these issues. I strongly believe that the Kebbi East  has a lot of potentials waiting to be tapped.