The Nation Newspaper

Tag: KEDCo

  • Boy, 10, electrocuted in Kano

    Tragedy struck at No. 44 Freetown, Sabon Gari, Kano, on Monday night, when a 10-year old boy, Ifeanyi Ogbodo got electrocuted while running errands for the mother.

    It was gathered that the tragic incident happened as a result of alleged carelessness of officials of Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) who after disconnecting electricity from the said building, left the naked wires hanging on the roof top of the building.

    According to the Mother of the victim simply identified as Mama Ifeanyi, “I sent my son on an errand in that building, while frying yam for sale on the road side close to the house. My son was electrocuted while holding on to the iron door at the entrance of the building.”

    The bereaved mother blamed her son’s death to the naked wire allegedly left behind by KEDCO officials, while crying for justice, insisting that, “I cannot believe my son is dead. They should do something fast. Ifeanyi’s untimely death must not be swept under the carpet.”

    She said the little boy died shortly after he was rushed to a nearby hospital.

    According to eyewitness account, “the disconnected naked wires were touching the iron sheet of the building and when the distribution company restored power supply, the house was endangered with electric shock, hence forcing the occupants to flee.”

    When contacted on telephone, KEDCO’s Spokesman, Muhammed Kandi said the company’s technical officials have been mobilised to the area to calm the situation and confirm the root cause of the incident.

    “We are still investigating the real cause of that incident. Already, our Technical Officers have been deployed to the area. Before the end of today, I will get back to you,” he added.

  • World Malaria Day: KEDCO distributes 10, 000 mosquito nets in Kano

    The Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) on Wednesday distributed 10, 000 treated mosquito nets to its customers in Jakara quarters in Kano metropolis.

    Speaking shortly after distributing the items, the company’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Mohammed Kandi, said the gesture was part of the corporate social responsibility of the company.

    He said the decision to distribute the nets was also part of the company’s resolve to complement government efforts at eradicating malaria in the country.

    “The decision to distribute the treated mosquito nets is borne out of the company’s commitment to support the government in its renewed effort to ensure total eradication of malaria across the country.

    “KEDCO is not here to collect revenue from its customers, but it is here to distribute the nets in commemoration of the World Malaria Day,”he said.

    He advised the people in the area to always clean their environment as well as clear blocked drains to prevent mosquito breeding in their places of abode.

    A health expert who accompanied the team to the area, Malam Umar Mohammed, advised the residents of the area to make the best use of the nets to check the spread of malaria.

    He also advised them to ensure regular fumigation of their environment as well as to consult medical experts when they are in feverish condition.

    “Prevention they say is better than cure, so there is need for people to take all the preventive measures against the disease in order to safeguard our health, “he said.

    The Ward Head of Bakin Zuwo in Jakara, Alhaji Ali Maiunguwa, commended the company for the gesture.

    He assured the company of the residents’ commitment to prompt settlement of their electricity bills.

    NAN

     

  • Suspected robber mobbed in Kano

    Suspected robber mobbed in Kano

    The Kano state Police Command has said a suspected armed robber, who posed as a staff of Kano Electricity Distribution company (KEDCO), to rob a housewife was Killed by mob.
    The suspect, one Bashir lsah of Benin city, Edo state had conspired with another suspect now at large, went to their victim’s house in the guise demanding for the records of bill payment.
    Isah was said to have rode on a motorbike to the victim’s house at sharada ja’en on arrival, Knocked at the gate, claiming to be officials of KEDCO.
    lmmedately the housewife opened the gate and in the process of trying to check for the bills, they pulled out a locally made pistol and demanded for money.
    The housewife (namewithheld), told the suspects that she had no money, at that requested for bank transfer. 
    On this note, the suspects dispossessed her of loptop, two phones, two computer Disks, and the sum of N8000 cash.
    However, luck ran for the suspects, when their bike failed to start, upon this, she raised the alarm, which attracted the neighbours who rushed and captured them. While the other suspect managed to escape. And lsah was blue and black by the mob.
     spokesman of the Police command, DSP magaji musa majia said the suspect died before police could rescued him and that all the exhibits were recovered from the suspects.
  • KEDCO pledges improved services in Jigawa, Kano, Katsina

    KEDCO pledges improved services in Jigawa, Kano, Katsina

    The Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) has promised its customers in Jigawa, Kano and Katsina States improved services to boost commercial activities in the areas.

    The company’s Managing Director, Dr. Jamilu Gwamna, made the promise at the first KEDCO Managing Director’s Award Night in Kano.

    He said the company was committed to improve its operations to ensure effective service delivery and at the same time distribute the energy to the satisfaction of its numerous customers in the three states.

    Gwamna said: “We are committed more than ever before to improve our operation to ensure effective and efficient service delivery to our customers across our coverage areas.”

    He said the company found it necessary to honour its dedicated, committed and hardworking staff, to boost their morale.

    “It came as a board’s decision to recognise dedicated, hardworking and committed staff as part of effort to encourage them to do more,” he added.

    The managing director, who commended the staff of the company for their individual contributions to its development and success, noted that this was the first time the company collected over N2 billion in one month as revenue.

    “We are here today to appreciate you and those who invested in the company will continue to give you the necessary support to move it to the next level,” he said.

    NAN

     

  • Jigawa judge assaults KEDCO staff over disconnection

    Jigawa judge assaults KEDCO staff over disconnection

    The management of Kano Elecricity Distribution Plc. (KEDCO) has condemned the flagrant apprehension, assault and illegal detention of its staff by the Jigawa State Chief Judge, Aminu Sabo Ringim over the disconnection of electricity from his residence and office.

    A statement by Mohammed Kandi, the spokesman in the company said the Jigawa South Regional Office of KEDCO had commenced the disconnection exercise of all government accounts on Tuesday, following reports of non-payment of accumulated electricity bills by government agencies in the state, including the state High Court.

    Kandi, who disclosed that similar operation was conducted across KEDCO’s coverage areas of Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states, however, called on all the relevant government authorities to intervene in the matter saying “this intimidation is totally unacceptable and it must be stopped.”

    He also lamented that, “if those collecting revenue for the entire electricity value chain are being subjected to frequent harassment, intimidation and inhuman treatments by the law enforcement agents for doing their job, then the value chain may go bankrupt.”

    The KEDCO spokesman said: “One of our drivers, Alhaji Ibrahim Garbawas violently abducted by some armed security ooperatives who appeared in the vicinity of our Jigawa south regional office in mufties, were said to have done that on the orders of the chief registrar in the office of the state Chief Judge, Musa Ubale.”

    He said: “The unsuspecting KEDCO personnel who was on his way out of the office premises, was hunted down, slapped, assaulted and handcuffed like a common criminal in the full glare of bewildered onlookers and other staff.”

    It was also gathered that, while the regional office was under siege days after the disconnection operation was carried out, the staff had been trailed by the security operatives to Ringim, Birnin-Kudu and Kano where they conduct their daily operations.

    “The Chief Registrar, was said to have ordered his security details to arrest and detain any identified KEDCO official, so they had laid ambush on the driver who had closed from work,” Kandi stated.

  • Kano KEDCO rewards staff

    Kano KEDCO rewards staff

    Hard work has paid off for staff members of Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO). The management team of the power distribution firm led by its Regional Manager, Mr. Abubakar Jimeta gave out plaques and cash to over 15 staff.

    It all happened at the Royal Tropicana Hotel where guests were treated to food, wine, and some music to go with it.

    Speaking during the event, the elated Jimeta expressed happiness that his staff, saying they have continued to make him proud as they made it possible for Kano Central region to stand tall among other regions in KEDCO in terms of service delivery and revenue collection. Jimeta further hailed the award recipients for putting in their best and making the company more efficient in service delivery.

    He said the event was organised to reward the recipients for the excellent performance and also motivate them to put in their best at their various departments and units.

    Jimeta said: “We are doing this today in recognition of your hard work, excellent performance and loyalty to the goals and objectives of KEDCO. You have done a lot for this company, and so, there is the need to reward your excellence and ginger you to do even more for the development of KEDCO. We are the engine room of KEDCO. There is something special about Kano Central and Kano Central alone can change the fortune of KEDCO. Since September last year, we have worked hard. So, I will want every single award that is given out today to be a step forward. Let us keep on doing the good work, let us keep on encouraging ourselves and we will grow and grow and continue to grow. When you work hard, the result will come, the reward will come. We know everyone here and we know how hard all of us are working to keep KEDCO moving. We shall continue to push, until we get there,” he stated.

    Also speaking during the event, KEDCO’s Chief Operation Officer, Mr. Rahul Sighn commended the management team for coming up with the idea of rewarding hard work and unique achievements. He congratulated the entire staff of Kano Central Region for their success in terms of productivity and commended the initiative drive of management of the region in terms of excellent service delivery.

  • FG urged to revoke sale of PHCN

    FG urged to revoke sale of PHCN

    An appeal has been made to the Federal Government to revoke the sale of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to private operators.

    He described as ‘reap off‎ ‘ the tariff being charged consumers by the private operators without efficient and commensurate service delivery.

    The appeal is coming on the heels of recent internal crisis rocking the working relations between workers union and the management of KEDCO.

    The union had accused the management for administrative and operational misgivings following the termination and unnecessary delay in confirmation of its staff after completing their probationary period of six months as well for over charging/billing consumers using uncalibrated metres recently installed.

    Alhaji Aliyu Sahabi, the Chairman of the Sokoto state Chapter of the Bureau De Change (BDCs) who made the appeal in Sokoto Monday‎ said the proposed revocation would allow the federal government to wholly revamp the nation’s power sector as well ‎device a more beneficial billing method for customers.

    ” After doing so, more funds should be pumped into revamping the sector.

    ” This means improved power supply to all parts of the nation, as well as the revival of the collapsed industries.”

    According to Sahabi, “this will afford efficient utility service‎ to consumers, guarantee constant supply and improved revenue at reasonable cost to consumers.”

    He also said revamping the sector would bolster the local manufacturing of products, hence, reduce the heavy demands for foreign exchange, especially dollar.

    Sahabi added that the revival of industries would help to drastically reduce poverty, unemployment, restiveness and crimes, among other tangible and intangible benefits.

    The BDCS chairman further called on Nigerians to imbibe the habit of patronizing made in Nigeria products, so as to make the Nigerian currency stronger.

    The chairman further commended the federal and Sokoto state governments for spending huge amount of money on the Anchor Borrowers Programme noting that‎ it has helped to boost the massive production of rice and wheat in the state.

    “The gesture was very crucial in ensuring food security in the nation, reduction of poverty and unemployment, among others”, he pointed out‎.

    Accordingly, Sahabi maintained that the programme had proven to be one of the most plausible solutions to the current recession plaguing the country.

    ” The gesture should be sustained, with more funds allocated to the scheme as it had proven to be worthwhile,” he further opined.

  • KEDCO pledges uninterrupted power supply

    Electricity consumers in Kano city are to enjoy uninterrupted power supply, fair billing and customer intimacy soon, the management of Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) has said.

    The Communications Coordinator, Mohammed Kandi, said in a statement in Kano yesterday that the assurance was made at a Customer Consultative Forum organised by KEDCO as part of its determination to review electricity tariff.

    KEDCO, as the other 11 DISCOs, said it would soon introduce a new tariff, which will be cost reflective and fair to all electricity consumers in Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states.

    Urging its customers to accept the tariff proposal, the company said it would cover losses.

    The statement said: “Under the new privatisation arrangement, DISCOs will pay for the cost of energy delivered to their network by the generation companies, the cost of delivering the energy through the transmission lines (the national grid) and their operational costs with funds collected via tariffs from customers.”

  • Hike in tariff inevitable, says KEDCo chief

    Hike in tariff inevitable, says KEDCo chief

    Kano Electricity Distribution Company  (KEDCo) said it has recorded an Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) losses of 49 per cent since it took over from the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in November last year.

    Worried by the need to deliver optimum service to its customers, its management said it will increase electricity tariff within its areas of jurisdiction.

    Speaking during a Stakeholders’ Forum it organised in collaboration with the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in Kano yesterday, its Managing Director, Dr. Jamil Isyaku Gwamna said the company is making frantic efforts to ensure that the incurred losses are reduced to six per cent in the next five years.

    He said:  “The rationale behind this meeting is that, you know, every DISCo has an obligation to improve service supply, and they can only do so if they reduce the losses and they are called Aggregate Technical Commercial and Collection (ATC & C) losses. When we came in, we had a target that over the next five years, we would make certain investments in order to achieve a certain level of loss reduction.

    “This was part of our commitment and we went through a process established by the regulator which is NERC. They gave us the methodology of how we can establish our real loses.  We were given a loss position for Kano as 40 per cent—that is the total Aggregate Technical Commercial and Collection loses.

    “But when we came in, we discovered that it was much more than that. But today, what we have established as the base-line loses for the company is close to 49 per cent. We are glad that NERC through their independent consultants has established that figure; and they have accepted that. So, this forum is to invite comments from the public because it will inevitably lead to an increase in tariff.

    “So, people are going to pay more in order to get the level of service they require because the current tariff levels are definitely low and the tariff are in two components—one, the energy cost and two, the fixed charges. make a lot of investments in the network—this is the only way that we can really increase the capacity as well as reduce the loses.”

    NERC’s Commissioner for Market Competition and Rates, Mr. Eyo Ekpo, said the study of losses incurred by distribution companies will enable them to know the position at which their losses are being calculated as well as possible ways of minimizing such losses in such a way that it will not jeopardize either the interest of the distribution companies or the customers, stressing that, “for KEDCo, their losses may be minimized if stakeholders can help provide latest input on how to achieve efficient productivity.”