MEET THE STAFF SERIES

My Duties As A Financial Manager 

CCD: Tell me a bit about yourself?

AU:  My name is Auwal Umar, I was born and brought up in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State. I am a graduate of Forestry Technology from Federal College of Forestry Mechanization Afaka, Kaduna.

CCD: Tell us about your duties as a Financial Manager

AU:  My key responsibilities are: effective supervision of cash offices under GRO, reporting of the Finances of respective location, participation in the cash drive activities, monitoring of payments of major customers and effective reporting of cash collections. Others are cash receipt of payments; assistance is solving customer complaints, proper placement of cashiers and reconciliation of controversial payments.

CCD: What would you consider your professional achievements so far?

 AU: My professional achievement was borne out of my passion, zeal and willingness to learn even in the hard way. The accounting profession is not what I studied in school but due to my curiosity and interest, it became easy for me to become an accountant. Dedication and relentless service towards any profession with a mission to achieve goals and objectives gave me courage to be where I am today.

CCD: Hard work has been your guiding principle?

AU: Of course yes. Even in multiple folds, I joined the company in September 2018, as cashier after one year and some months, I was made a Clearing Cashier also I am one of the recipient of R&R award in February 2018 when I was the Clearing Cashier and today due to hard work, I am the Finance Manager in Gusau Regional Office.

Kaduna Electric has recently recognized my hard work by making me a Finance Manager of GRO.

CCD: What techniques and managerial style do you use to keep your department together?

AU: The best managerial skills and techniques for any manager to succeed is inclusion of all staff in decision making process, that is, accepting only constructive and reasonable ideas from virtually everybody. Our slogan "one for all, and all for one" will be seen in practice in my department.

CCD: What is your motivation to excel in this company?

AU: My career goal towards developing the company is to use my acquired skills and personal experience to provide solution that will facilitate the accomplishment of the company's corporate mission and vision.

CCD: What is your greatest professional strength?

AU: My greatest strength is to do things within the prescribed time frame. Also, I have qualities like: honesty, integrity and transparency in dealing with others.

Also, another weapon in my arsenal, which can be translated to strength, is my ability to absorb pressure and work under pressure, because I believe that there is no gain without pain. 

CCD: What do you think is your weakness?

AU: One of my weaknesses is wanting to be perfect; I hardly delegate, I fear the mistakes, but I have a plan to learn to believe in my team members and delegate but to make sure I supervise properly. And sometimes, I skip lunch to complete any task I am given.

CCD: Any appeal or suggesting to other staff and management?

AU: My appeal to the entire staff is that we should be dedicated to do our duties because this is where we get our daily bread. So, we must do the right things to make the company great. 

To management, they should look into the issue of staffing in Gusau, because we are seriously understaffed in virtually all the departments.

MEET THE STAFF SERIES

Continued Customer Enumeration Will Increase Revenue 

CCD: Could you please introduce yourself?

MAS: My name is Mikailu Abdulkadir Sani. I am an indigene of Sokoto State. I was born and brought up in Sokoto State.

I attended College of Education Staff Primary School in Sokoto and later proceeded to Nagarta College Sokoto from 2003 to 2008. I hold a Bachelor's degree in Islamic studies from Usman Danfodio University Sokoto.

CCD: When did you join the Company, and what are your responsibilities?

MAS: I joined Kaduna Electric on 1st September 2015 and was assigned to work with MD Unit where I spent one year and later, posted to Industrial Feeder Sokoto as Customer Care Representative (CCR) where I served for one and half years until August 2018 when I was reassigned as Sales Representative and posted to Kaduna Road Service Center.

My responsibilities include: developing good and sound marketing strategy to improve the revenue collection of the Regional office, enhance customer relations and to ensure customers pay their bills as and when due.

CCD: How do you ensure fairness in dealing with your Customers?

MAS: As a Sales Representative of this company, my responsibility is to ensure that the customers are billed accurately and their bills delivered within the time frame. I work with the axiom that a happy customer is a paying customer.

I also ensure that customers' complaints are treated within the shortest possible time. I will continue doing my best to serve our customers efficiently, make them develop more confidence on the services of the company.  The business interactions should be done with fairness to both  parties

CCD: What would you consider as the challenges in this job?

MAS: We are faced with so many challenges. As field workers we encounter some hostile customers; they use abusive words on the Sales Reps, some even threaten to beat us while discharging our duties.  Our duty is to calm them down because we are trained to handle such customers.

CCD: Meeting target is one of the major challenges facing the Regional offices.  How have you managed to boost your collection?

MAS: Thank you for this question. The truth of the matter is, it is our duty to double our market size and this can be achieved through continuous enumeration of our customers.

I believe our customer population company-wide should be more than what we have currently. The more we capture customers into the billing system, the more our revenue will increase. 

All efforts should also be made to block leakages like energy theft, meter bypass in order to shore up the revenue of the company.

That is why the Disconnection Team, Enforcement Team and the entire staff should double their effort, and working as a team, to achieve our set target.

CCD: In your opinion, what do you think can be done to enhance the growth of the company?

MAS: Well as employees, we have to be alive to our responsibilities by being diligent. Our primary concern should be on how to create and innovate in other to improve the success of the company. If the company succeeds, we will be commended and also take the credit; if it doesn't, we will be affected negatively. 

That is why we should put in more effort and take ownership in order to take it to greater heights.

CCD: Do you consider yourself a team player?

MAS: Yes. We work as a team; it helps yield a positive result, as each member of the team is able to learn from the strength of others.

KADUNA ELECTRIC FRONTLINE DECEMBER EDITION

We Are Driving The Change Management Initiatives -Khadijat Kabeer 

CCD: It is about a year since you spoke with the Frontline; it means a lot must have happened in your Department. Could you please share with us what these things are?

Khadija: HR has been engaged in so many activities. If you recall, sometime in January this year, we had Strive Workshop, which unveiled the new structure of the company and alongside other things, which we are gradually implementing. Some of the new inventions aimed at driving productivity include: Performance Management System, Reward and Recognition and the new career part.
For the Performance Management System, we have done our first year, that is 2017, unfortunately being the first performance Management exercise of the Company, we have not been able to fully conclude it but I assure you that this year by December, we would have that of 2018 and there won’t be any more hitches.
For the Reward and Recognition, we had our first one and continuously we are doing our Shining Star of the month that is where we reward top performing staff in every location whether in the Regional Office or here in the Head Office.
Other activities that we intend to carry out this year are Reward and Recognition Ceremony the largest of all, the overall ceremony, which is supposed to hold annually.
These involve a lot of activities like CSR activities, award night, Customers Engagement among others.  It is going to be a ceremony that all employees are going to be involved in one way or the other and finally we would close it down with a lunch with the Board of Directors. We hope to be celebrating while we are in 2billion Naira then.
Then the career part is the project we are currently working on, hopefully by December it is also going to be concluded alongside the employee Hand Book and the Condition of Service. We are expecting to have our last meeting on the 28^th of this month to conclude on those documents.
CCD: You have been in this position for more than three years now, if I am not mistaken. Have the challenges remained the same?  

Khadija: Ironically, I would say that the challenges have remained the same and they are mostly human challenges; people problems. Our main challenge is the inability to meet our target or even half of it. This gives me great concern as my Department is in charge of recruiting the people and if there were no productivity from employees, our rating would be low.
This was what gave birth to the Learning and Development Unit of this Department; we are trying hard to see how the L&D can tackle these problems though I know we cannot fully tackle them except people are willing to change.
Also, if we don’t have the right people at the right places, we will keep having the same issue but L&D is doing all it can to resolve this.
At present, our linesmen are undergoing training on customer orientation because one of the observations made at the Situation Room recently, is the fact that some members of staff do not have technical background and some talk rudely to customers. 
So, we decided to do a non-technical training for technical staff. We have equally been focusing on doing technical for non-technical but now, it’s the other way around we are doing non-technical for technical people and from the feedback we are getting, things seem to be going smoothly.
Interestingly, L&D has a new training room; hope you will go and take pictures of it. 
Before now, we were using the board room for our trainings but we now have a dedicated facility and the long-term plan is to have a facility around Kaduna South, which is going to be a technical training school, and this hopefully should be ready by the beginning of next year because we have approval for that already.

CCD: The ICT Department is automating work processes across the various Departments. Have they designed any for HR?  

Khadija: At the moment, ICT has touched almost every Department. They developed the CRM system for Commercial; they develop the Billing App and lots more. So, for us in HR, they are trying to develop payroll software to start with, then Employee Management Software.  As soon as these projects are completed with a successful pilot, you will be notified.
Recently, I was at Jos Disco. Their ICT has developed software for their HR team, which means they will go paperless even though I doubt if technology can totally erase the use of paper.  The reason for the use of paper is for record purpose; there are instances when we need to make reference to them.
Our ICT team is currently developing something similar for us, which will greatly improve our efficiency.

CCD: Recently, over 90 successful candidates were employed. Tell us about it and why there was the need to employ more hands?

Khadija: The recent recruitment was part of an ongoing process that started since the beginning of this year and we have been doing it so that we can fill the current gap we discovered from the manpower analysis carried out in the Company.
The process began with an advert, for our internal employees who consider themselves suitable to fill the position before making it open for external applicants.
We organized an orientation programme, a little bit late as some of the new employees had already started working but we needed to have a complete batch before the commencement of the training.
Hopefully, we expect to employ more people by end of this year and early next year because we are always having a massive turnover. Another reason is because there would be new departments like Enforcement so we have to employ people with technical background.
If you look at some of the disconnections, they have just two people in a team that is why we need more hands.

CCD: What message do you have for staff as the person that manages Human Resources? 

Khadija: Let me say hello once again since I am now talking to my people. As usual, I want to congratulate all members of the Kaduna Electric family for working till the 12th month of the year. 
I want to use this medium to caution all members of staff to stay out of trouble.  Keep up the good work and put Kaduna Electric first. These are the things I have to say to my colleagues, and please do not be involved in fraudulent activities; say No To Fraud!          

KADUNA ELECTRIC NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2ND EDITON 2018

Improved Collection Dependent on Deliberate Efforts- Head, Commercial Services

By Nafiu Kabir 

Head, Commercial Services, Engr. Aliyu Abbas has charged staff of Kebbi Regional Office to make concerted efforts to improve the revenue from the region. 

Engr. Abbas gave the charge during a Monthly Assessment visit to the region. He challenged the staff on the need to reassess some of the areas where revenue collection is low and devise ways of improving them.

He noted that the responsibility of improving the Region’s fortune would take a deliberate effort, which according to him will greatly affect their Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). 

“The days of giving excuses are over and excuses are no longer acceptable. Excuses don’t pay bills neither do they service the value chain. It is your duty to find how to shore up your revenue”.

Explaining further, Abbas tasked the marketing staff to look at the report of the Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection loses (ATC&C) which shows that our losses are still as high as 75% and with this, he pointed out it was obvious that the company is seriously running at a loss.  

One the issue of burnt meters as an excuse for poor collection, Abbas told them to be aware of the activities of dubious customers who intentionally destroy their meters in order to avoid paying bills. 

“Cases of burnt meters must be properly investigated in order to protect customers with genuine cases. Metered customers must be properly monitored to ensure that we get maximum collection. All other means of ensuring huge cash collection must be explored by all staff.” 

For customers complaining of overbilling, Engr. Abbas said they must be properly evaluated, as he has always wondered why he has never received a complaint of under billing. These are the areas that must be given attention so that we can reduce collection losses, he pointed out.

The Business Development and Regional Officer, Engr. Dogara Saidu who was part of the meeting, admonished the staff to pay attention to Green Feeders- where the highest revenue are expected, in order to effect a change in strategy where the need may arise.

ICT Staff Send Forth Bahaudeen Mashi 

By Jamila Bala

Staff of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) recently sent forth their colleague Mr. Bahaudeen Mashi at Safaha Plaza, Unguwar Rimi, Kaduna.

Mashi who is currently the Team Lead System Administration, ICT Department, was treated to an evening of accolades and honor.

Mashi who has worked in the power sector for over 20 years will be taking a bow at the end of November 2018 to pursue other personal business concern.

Responding, the celebrant thanked everyone in attendance especially those whom he said have contributed to the success of his career, while hinting that he will be pursing interest that will serve his people.

“I am grateful to all the people I have met along my career path, a lot of them have impacted on this journey; I remain grateful to them. Also, I intend to dedicate more in serving my people”.

His colleagues took turns to speak about him and most who spoke described him as jovial, respectful, hardworking.

Others reeled out some of his accomplishments, including his leadership qualities, which many described as “sterling”. 

The ambience was nothing short of cozy with lots of drinks, snacks, styled dances and activities like riddles and jokes, “know your colleagues”. There was presentation of gifts and a Question and Answer session to wrap up the event.

In attendance were representatives from Corporate Communications, Admin, Human Resources, Metering and Commercial Departments.

  

Kaduna Electric Supports Reduction of Maternal Mortality 

By Jamila Bala

 As a socially responsible brand, Kaduna Electric has joined the call to combat the scourge of maternal mortality that is currently ravaging the land. 

The company responded by collaborating with Amana Hope & Care initiative. Amana Hope & Care Initiative is a non-governmental organization whose goal is to combat the maternal mortality epidemic.

This year’s programme is targeted at covering 6 rural communities across the three Senatorial Districts of Kaduna state to sensitize communities, identify their basic healthcare needs and challenges, with a view to drawing public attention and eliciting intervention.

 Speaking at one of the communities visited, Hajiya Farida Abubakar, Chairperson of the Initiative said the NGO is poised to address the plight of vulnerable women and children, particularly the rate of death recorded during child birth and the challenge in accessing basic health care services. She also express hope that the program will provide a platform for enlisting public support and intervention towards salvaging the plight of such communities.

The NGO, according to her, “is a nonpartisan organization, we fund all our projects and activities from contributions and donations made by members’’. 

She went further to thank the management of Kaduna Electric for its financial contributions while calling on other well-meaning Nigerians, government and corporate bodies to assist underprivileged persons in the country.

Responding, the company’s Head of Corporate Communications, Abdulazeez Abdullahi said: “All hands must be on deck to address the scourge and find ways to eliminate it totally. Our women are not supposed to be dying from child birth and as a corporate body we lend our voice to this cause while urging other corporate bodies to do same”. 

ICT Trains HQ Staff on SharePoint

By Halima Shuaibu

    Following the recent automation of business processes in the company, the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Department has organized a one-day training on SharePoint for Head Office staff.

The training was to acquaint staff with SharePoint online App. The App was designed to address all the day to day needs of staff and department operations that hitherto involved the use of paper and cumbersome processes.

SharePoint provides automated solution to Admin, Human Resources, Finance & Account and ICT with aim of improving business operations.  

The participants were shown how to use Admin portal to book for meetings, the HR Leave Form used to raise a leave request, Finance & Accounts to deal with retirement issues. 

The training, which was an interactive one, had some participants asking questions and suggesting new ideas to improve the App.

The ICT had on different occasions raised concerns about the implementation of the Solutions it has developed hence the need for the training which is to erase the excuse of inadequate knowledge of its usage.

Speaking shortly after the training, one of the Facilitators, Asmau Abdulkadir said the training is very important considering how much it will help the company’s operation. As a member of the team who designed the App, she said a thorough need-assessment had been carried out to ensure that the App was designed to address the peculiar need of each department.

MEET THE STAFF SERIES

My Role Impacts on Revenue Loss Reduction

CCD: Tell us briefly about yourself? 

AH: My name is Aminu Habib, a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria with a B.S.C Business Administration. I served at National Teachers Institute, Kaduna with the Pensions department. I am an indigene of Kaduna State, North local Government.

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

AH: I joined Kaduna Electric in September 2015 as a Sales Rep and posted was to Kabala for training. After that, I was posted to several other Service Centers to work as a Sales Rep for a year and a half.

CCD: You were recently elevated to the position of Team Lead, New Services, Zamfara Regional Office tell us about it?

AH: Around June 2017 I was posted to Gusau Regional office to work as a Sales Rep, before I was appointed as Team Lead, New Service. I am in charge of documenting new customers, Enumeration. 

It is my responsibility to make sure that the customer's load is taken and they are given their proper bills or meters so as to avoid electricity losses or revenue losses which are both counterproductive to the company and the new customer.

CCD: What is your relationship with LECAN? 

AH: Let me start by clarifying what LECAN stands for; which is a federal license for industry practitioners meaning Electrical Contractors Association Of Nigeria. It is an association whose primary duty is to visit the premises of new customers and take the load, access the wiring and make sure all the proper materials are of standard to avoid fire outbreaks and unwanted events alike.

This association is a compulsory part of the new service process flow.

CCD: What is the toughest challenge you have faced and how do you go about it? 

AH: The toughest challenge I have faced so far is lack of mobility to visit remote areas and investigate illegal activities concerning electricity theft. I have however voiced it out to the management recently and they have promised to handle the issue.

CCD: What demotivates you?

AH: I am greatly motivated by when my colleagues work together as a team and demotivate when colleagues want to work as a team.

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

AH: I am appealing to all staff to be diligent, honest, trust worthy  and hardworking because as employees of the company we are particularly responsible for ensuring the sustainability and stability of the company.

I am also appealing to the management to provide all the necessary working tools, materials and adequate man power to ensure excellent productivity.

MEET THE STAFF SERIES

Our Mandate is to Make Every Customer Happy

CCD: Can we meet you?

Oyinyechukwu Obiwunma Sokot Regional Office

OO: My name is Onyinyechukwu Obiwunma Onyeaku- Egabor (Mrs.).  I'm from Owerri West Local Government Area, Imo State, Nigeria.
I am married to an Etsako man from Agenebode in Etsako, Edo State. I was born in Lagos; I had my Primary and Secondary school education in Delta and IMO States respectively. 
I studied briefly at State College of Legal and Islamic Studies, Sokoto where I obtained a diploma in Law. I also studied at Usmanu Dan Fodiyo University, Sokoto were I obtain a B.A. in English Language and a Masters degree in International Studies. 

CCD: You were newly promoted to the position of Team Lead Customer Care. What does your new role entail?
 OO: Wow! I tell you, this is no small task at all. Believe me, expectations are high; I am expected to put in my best all times.

The primary assignment of the Team Lead Customer Care (TLCC) is to make sure that all customers' complaints lodged in Sokoto are not just resolved but resolved within the stipulated time frame.
It involves making every Service Centre a satisfying center. In other words, when a customer walks into a Service Centre, it is expected that such a customer comes out with a smile not just because we are able to answer all questions regarding our services but because we are able to assure him of an endless ability to deliver excellent services. 
As the TLCC, I'm responsible for periodical training of the Customer Care Representatives (CCR) within my jurisdiction, which is Sokoto state. It also includes making sure the CCRs perform their duties with the company's core value (which is TIES; Team work, Integrity, Excellency, Sustainability) at heart. Customers' enlightenment is also part of the job description.

CCD: What in your opinion are the changes in the operations of Kaduna Electric? 
OO: There have been great changes in the operations of Kaduna Electric. In fact, things have improved considerably and we look forward to more improvement. 

CCD: Your job majorly involves managing people and complaints. How do you cope with it? 
OO: People act differently when they are under pressure or frustrated. As a CCR I don't allow things to get to me, rather I take charge.

CCD: How does your role contribute to the overall Kaduna Electric vision? 
OO: A satisfied customer is a paying customer. This in turn increases our collection. By satisfying our customers, we are definitely contributing to success of the business.

CCD: What would you consider your Kaduna Electric moment?
OO: Anytime I put a smile on the face of a customer.

CCD: What is your appeal to the management?
OO: Management is doing their best but we are appealing to them to do more in fighting vandalism; it is killing our collection.

KADUNA ELECTRIC NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER EDITION

 PHOTO NEWS...

 

Participant from Abuja Electricity Distribution company, during the just concluded ICT Interactive Session

Host participants from Kaduna Electric , during the just concluded ICT Interactive Session

L-R:  Chief Commercial Services Officer, Mal. Murtala Bello; Company Secretary, Barrister  Abbas Ahmed and Head, ICT, Yasir Abdussalam

Police Commissioner Commends Kaduna Electric

By Umar Mohammed Tambuwal

The Commissioner of Police, Sokoto State Command, Mr. Murtala Usman Mani, has commended Kaduna Electric for its efforts in providing steady power supply to all Police formations under his command.

He gave this commendation when the Business Development and Regional Officer, Sokoto Regional Office, Mr. Masood Salisu Abdulkadir paid him a courtesy visit.

Mr. Mani noted that the Police as `security provider needs steady supply of power, adding that it appreciates the priority being given to the command.

He explained that all outstanding bills of the Command are being processed and would be paid within the shortest possible time.

The Police, according to him, need constant supply, which is why he said Officers under his command would be encouraged to pay their bills promptly. This, he said, will further strengthen the relationship between the two organizations.

He also promised to set up a special task force to fight vandals.

Earlier, the Business Development and Regional Officer, had said that the major challenges facing the company is vandalism of company equipment and installations.

He noted that the incessant cases of vandalism are affecting quality supply; he therefore, solicits cooperation of the community leaders, Nigerian police, other security agencies and stakeholders to curtail the menace. 

The BDRO lamented the poor response to payment of bills, and urged the Commissioner to use his good offices to ensure that all Divisions under his command pay their bills as and when due.

Grand Reward & Recognition Ceremony To Hold Annually 

By Halima Shuaibu

Khadija Kabir, Head, Human Resources

In our assessment, the Reward and Recognition ceremony has improved staff morale, engendered healthy competition and brought improved productivity, the Head, Human Resources, Khadija Kabir has said.

She made this revelation in an exclusive interview with our correspondent recently. She noted that the initiative sprang from the implementation of the Strive Project, which according to her is aimed at driving productivity. 

“The Strive Workshop was about improving staff productivity through Performance Management System, Reward and Recognition and new career part.

“From the review of the last R&R, we realized that there was a need to plan a grand ceremony that will have every employee involved one way or the other”.   

The event, according her, would include activities like CSR, Award Night, Customers Engagement Forum and Lunch with the Board of Directors.

Kabir however hinted that a lot would depend on the company’s revenue generation for an event of that magnitude to be organized.

She therefore advised all staff to redouble their efforts to enable them hit the 2 billion Naira mark. 

“The event will be a morale booster for all and an excitable way to wind down the year. I therefore, call on every staff to work even harder to achieve the 2-billion-naira mark,”.

Corporate Communications Staff Undergo Training

By Halima Shuaibu

In pursuit of continuous improvement in output, staff of the Corporate Communications Department recently attended a 6-day training programme at the Kaduna Media Academy (KAMA).

The training, according the Department’s Head, Abdulazaeez Abdullahi, was to improve the quality of its television production. The department, he said is leveraging on all channels to reach its customers and it is important to dish out quality productions.

“We use all channels of communications to reach our audience, in this case, our customers. There are messages that are better when dramatized or visualized. Kaduna Electric Watch was conceived to reach our customers so as to address a myriad of issues in an informative and educative manner.

 “We also share the video on YouTube channel to reach our online viewers. So far, the feedback has been positive and we are encouraged to do more.”

One of the participants, Jamila Bala said she is delighted to be in the training as the curriculum covers a wide area in television production and also serves as a refresher course.

According to her, Broadcast language, Presentation Skills and Writing for Broadcasting was “in-depth”. “The training programme is an opener as I now view Television programmes differently. I am very excited about what I have learnt and eager to put it to use.”