… effects cost-saving reforms with new appointments
Ayobami samson
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), has announced that it has resumed its Meter Assets Provider’s (MAPs) scheme with about 180,000 meters
Oluwafemi Zacchaeus, Chief Technical Officer, AEDC, who spoke at a media briefing, said the re-launch of the MAP scheme was targeted at bridging the meter demand gap after the completion of phase zero of the Federal Government’s National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP).
According to him, with the resumed MAPS scheme, willing customers will advance money to MAP/AEDC for purchase of meters while they will be refunded through vending, after installation.
He disclosed that the MAPS framework will run till the commencement of phase1 of the NMMP, adding that it currently has six participating MAPS vendors- Mojec, Protogy, Turbo energy, Momas, CIG and Holley.
He noted that the AEDC was in the process of engaging more MAPs, stating that only vendors with sufficient stock of meters in Nigeria will be considered.
The Technical Officer also disclosed that in a bid to ensure constant availability of meters, each vendor made commitment to supply 50,000 meters monthly in the company’s stores across all its franchise areas.
While giving a breakdown of number of meters for installation under the framework, he said it targets a total of 135,000 single-phase and 45,000 three-phase meters going for N63,061.32 and N117,910.69 (VAT inclusive) respectively..
Meanwhile as part of the ongoing structural reforms, amidst the desire to block financial leakages, the management of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has carried out cost-saving measures it described as “much desired and inevitable Institutional reforms”.
This reporter reliably gathered in Abuja Tuesday that the reforms included manpower reorganization and
proper placement of staff “with the sole aims of saving costs, block institutional financial leakages and reduce to the barest minimum level over-bloated salaries structure, lopsided promotion, salary disparity and upscale of operational efficiencies and prudent management of finances”.
To this end, this reporter further gathered that the major shake-up was implemented with the deleting of “unnecessary” General Managers and Special Advisers (SAs), ineffectual positions created to serve as conduit pipes to drain AEDC resources.
Instead, the management has appointed new regional managers and heads of departments while old and experienced hands from the existing pool of staff were assigned new top management responsibilities “aimed at taking the company to the next level”.
The new regional heads who were expected to resume at their various duty posts effective Monday, February 7, 2022, are:
FCT North Region Regional Manager, Abah Godfrey; FCT Central Region Regional Manager, Yahaya Kura; FCT East Region, Regional Manager, Leticia Ejindu; Niger Region Regional Manager, Mahmud Nda’dama Keni; FCT West Regional Manager, Chris Chime; FCT South/South Region Regional Manager, Desmond C. Eboh; FCT South Region Regional Manager, Joan Ijeoma Ugwunna; and Kogi Region Regional Manager, Lameed Obadaki.
Others are FCT Central Region Regional Manager, Yahaya Kura; Nasarawa Region Regional Manager, Mohammed Baro and a host of others.
Head Customer Services is also to replace the position of General Manager. The new Head of Customer’s Services is Maureen Jovi.
“The reform is an ongoing process, the overhaul of the operational, logistical and personnel proper placement is an ongoing process”, disclosed a source who craved anonymity, as details were still being expected at the time of this report.
The source added, “Before now, there were serious concerns raised about how a private liability company could manage to survive with 40 General Managers, 40 Deputy General Managers, Expatriate Directors, SA, Technical, SA Strategies, SA Domestic, and several field marshals without a troop. It was like having General Officers Commanding (GOCs) without a troop, brigade commanders commanding AEDC Infantry without troops. General Managers and Deputy General Managers without anybody reporting to them. Therefore Abuja Electricity Distribution Company has taken a bold step to reduce the over-bloated bureaucracy and overloaded top management structure.
“These in the past had competed unnecessarily with money that ought to be expended on investment in the network performance improvement, investment in purchases of transformers, line materials, and engagement of linesmen, faults men, patrol vehicles, Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) working tools, operational vehicles etc”.
In conclusion, he said “We wish the new hands best of luck in their new assignments and we also pray that those who have contributed immensely to the past success story will be given dignified exit”.
