KEDCO AND THE THIEVES WITHIN

By Yakubu Ahmed-BK

Leakages arising from the antics of thieves within its fold and the barefaced incompetence of its staff has finally been unearthed as main reason why KEDCO is not getting its desired target in revenue.

All the noise about electricity consumers in Kebbi not paying for electricity they consumed, as a result of which supply to the state has continued to be rationed is sheer bunkum. The problem, from findings by DESERT HERALD, is imbedded in the corruption of its workers from top to bottom.

The examples coming from Diggi and Kardi villages have proved beyond all doubts that instead of blaming consumers in Kebbi state, KEDCO should look inwards.

It has come to light that in Diggi, the residents were organised and made to be pooling their own bills by way of compelling every household to pay a flat rate of N2000 in order to meet up the figure unilaterally worked out by KEDCO. A total of N650,000 is generated in cash monthly, but instead of remitting same, DESERT HERALD gathered the corrupt staff pay in only N80,000.

In Kardi too, out of the N500,000 realised from the same system of bulk “taxation” only N50,000 is paid into KEDCO account. The rest is obviously shared by the corrupt elements within. We, therefore have every reason and justification to conclude, from the foregoing, that close to 80% of the total revenue accruing from the millions paid by meterless consumers is stolen by the staff.

It is true that Kebbi state government’s decision to stop or suspend payment of its own bills has reduced the total revenue from Kebbi and this might have been redflagged by the KEDCO system. But the fact is that the leakages within its own system and the employment of inexperienced and incompetent marketing and technical workers after the mass sack of the bulk of its pioneer well trained staff must have created room for thieves to infiltrate it.

The most effective solution to this problem is for prepaid metering for all consumers and this is not likely to be possible due mainly to the inefficiency of the system.

We take not that even the audit of consumers that was organised by the state government and KEDCO in the past in order to establish the correct figure of consumers only succeeded in enriching the same people entrusted with the exercise. We watch in awe as some of them are busy building houses, marrying more wives, buying very expensive cars and living far above their legitimate means.

We also watch helplessly as KEDCO workers that are benefiting from the current leakages in Diggi, Kardi and indeed all over the state are also shamelessly doing same with the proceeds of their illicit largesse. Sadly, these are indigenes of Kebbi state. In fact, those in the forefront of these aberration pride themselves with their feudal ancestry and could one day put themselves forward to become natural rulers.

More annoying is the curious silence or “siddon-dey-look” attitude of the state government. Government should be blowing hot and breathing down the neck of the KEDCO establishment, brandishing the Diggi and Kardi anomaly card, in order to force some concession down their throat.

The day a Governor loses the capacity to talk tough in the defence of his people even when they are clearly being fleeced, that will be the day a people can lose hope in that leadership.

KEDCO staff are the thieves stealing the millions and instead of the company to cleanse itself and put its house in order, they are pushing the blame to the people of Kebbi state. Sadly, our government appears either helpless or complicit , if not by being a part of the problem but by the defeaning silence in the face of a great injustice visited on its people.