By Izunna Okafor, Awka
FirstPower Electricity Distribution Company Limited has held a strategic retreat for its management, commercial and technical staff, to review its performance, examine prevailing challenges in the electricity sector and map out fresh strategies towards improving its service delivery to electricity consumers across Anambra State.
The retreat, which held over the weekend at the FirstPower Auditorium in Awka, the Anambra State capital, brought together members of the company’s management team, commercial staff, technical staff, Heads of Departments and other key personnel and unit heads.
The gathering provided an opportunity for the company to assess its activities over the past months, identify areas requiring improvement and collectively chart a way forward towards delivering better services to customers and responding more effectively to the changing realities in the power sector.
The programme featured detailed performance presentations by the commercial team, led by the Chief Commercial Officer, Dr. Mrs. Nnenna Obi, after which participants engaged in a joint review of the presentations and offered observations and suggestions on how the identified gaps could be addressed.
Earlier declaring the retreat open, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FirstPower, Engr. Okechukwu Okafor, said the physical gathering was necessary to enable the company’s workforce interact directly, particularly at a time when the electricity industry is undergoing significant changes and customers are expecting greater and higher-quality service.
He noted that while some of the challenges affecting electricity supply are beyond the immediate control of the distribution company, FirstPower had continued to look inward and explore ways of improving its operations within its ability and scope.
According to him, the general reduction in available energy experienced in the early part of the year had affected electricity supply to several categories of customers, including businesses and other consumers who were willing to pay for electricity but were unable to receive the level of supply they required.
While acknowledging that, although there has been the gradual improvement in power supply in recent months, the FirstPower MD said the company was intensifying engagements with relevant power generation and supply partners in its efforts to secure additional energy and improve supply to areas within its network through bilateral and embedded power generation.
According to him, the company has commenced discussions and engagements aimed at bringing additional energy into the network, stressing that the objective was ultimately to make more electricity available to customers and improve the quality and reliability of supply. This, he stated, informed the recent strategic changes in the commercial management structure.
Engr. Okafor also challenged members of the team to bring fresh ideas and innovative approaches to their various responsibilities, stressing that the company’s transformation could only be sustained when every member of staff contributes meaningfully to the process.
He said the retreat was not merely an opportunity to review figures and presentations, but also a platform for the workforce to reflect on the company’s performance, understand the challenges facing customers and develop practical and more prompt ways of doing things better and addressing customers’ concerns.
The MD, during the retreat, also formally recognized the pioneer Regional Managers of the newly-created regional offices — Mr. Onyebuchi Nwokafor (for region 1) and Engr. Everistus Obetta (for region 2), noting that the creation of the regional offices was part of the company’s efforts to improve service delivery, as well as strengthen coordination and supervision across the company’s operational areas.
He charged the new Regional Managers to work closely with the various teams under their supervision, identify challenges affecting customers and ensure that issues requiring attention are promptly escalated and more efficiently addressed.
Others who spoke at the event included the Chief Technical Officer of FirstPower, Engr. Dr. Emeka Egbujor, as well as Heads of various departments, among other participants, who collectively reviewed the presentations and considered possible ways of improving the company’s overall performance, customer experience, and quality of service across its ten districts.
In a vote of thanks on behalf of the participants, the Regional Manager for Region 1, Engr. Onyebuchi Nwokafor, appreciated the FirstPower Management for providing the platform for the staff to come together, review the company’s performance and collectively brainstorm on ways of improving its operations and service delivery. He further assured that the lessons and resolutions from the retreat would be taken back to their respective areas of responsibility and translated into practical reality.
The retreat was followed by another strategic session held on Saturday with the company’s Operations/Technical team.
More photos from the event:
