The new interim management of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has sacked at least 17 General Managers (GMs) in what appears to be a major reform after it took over a month ago.
Daily Trust on Sunday had reported on Friday that the affected top officials of the DisCo were suspended. However, in an update from our sources and some affected staff, their emailed notices showed that they were asked to proceed on compulsory retirement.
AEDC has nine Regions and 39 Area Offices across four states that include Kogi, Abuja, Nasarawa and Niger where it distributes generated electricity to power consumers. The sources said there are at least 17 General Managers and Regional Managers as well as some expatriates of the previous core investors that may have been affected in the new move.
The company has been in a pronounced management crisis since November when the staff went on strike over non-payment of their entitlements and allowances.
Co-incidentally, United Bank for Africa (UBA) which provided the finance to KANN Utility, the core investor of 60 per cent stake in the DisCo in 2013, invoked its receivership clause over the incomplete settlement of the loans.
The former board and management of KANN has since been removed and a new UBA-led board and management headed by the chairman, Victor Osadolor and the interim managing director, Bada Akinwumi, have been driving the operations of the company since then.
As of December 2021, the new helmsmen announced that the entitlements of the protesting staff have been cleared and tasked them to be more dedicated to their services.
Speaking on the latest restructuring action at AEDC, the sources said the removal of the GMs and the restriction of some other top officials of the DisCo appointed by the previous management was a move by the interim management to ensure there is sanity while working with staff they believe could be loyal to them.
“Since they came on board, they have been careful in their communication approach and they fear that the majority of the top officials of AEDC are still loyal to the ousted board and management driven by KANN Utility,” said an official.
Another official noted that the interim management was to operate until UBA had recovered its outstanding loan while helping to reposition the company. “For now, it is not a permanent thing; once they recover their loans, they will hand over to KANN but for the meantime, some staff may suffer especially those they perceive are loyal to KANN.
“Some of the expatriates were redeployed from their respective departments to the IMD’s office and later, he asked them to work from home which in itself signifies that they want to keep them away from the core of daily operations.”
According to the existing internal structure of AEDC, there are at least 17 General Managers and Regional Managers. However, there are almost 40 GM offices created within the space of two years at AEDC; it was learnt from an official in the power sector.
Although, Daily Trust on Sunday had reached out to the spokesman who is also the GM, Corporate Communications, Oyebode Fadipe, there was no response to call or text message enquiry on the latest development. It was clear on Saturday that he was also affected and may no longer be in a position to respond to the enquiry.
The Interim MD, Mr Bada Akinwumi, who was contacted via a text message to his telephone line to confirm the development and what other reforms of the company on Friday night, did not respond as at Saturday evening.
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