Alhaji Sule Mohammed is a former manager, Department of Administration and Personnel of the Electricity Meter Company of Nigeria (EMCON), Zaria. In this interview, he said, among other things, that the ECMCON would have played a great role in the current efforts at metering electricity consumers in Nigeria had the company not collapsed.

Nothing much is being heard about the EMCON, Zaria despite its privatisation; what happened?

Yes, this is true. At the beginning we thought the privatisation would improve the fortunes of the company. I was the desk officer during the privatisation exercise. I left the company about 10 years ago.


What do you think was responsible for the bad fortunes of the company after its privatisation?

The problem of EMCON largely stemmed from management. Similarly, there is poor supervisory role on the part of the Board of Trustees. Previously, the Board of Directors was headed by the managing director and chief executive officer of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) because at that time the PHCN had 63 per cent of the shareholding. We had two other directors beside the managing director of the PHCN. One was the head of investment and the executive director (distribution).

At that time the directors were responsible for policy and growth of the company. When they left, the company had a turnover of more than N1billion and ready-made market for our products. By the time Dantata Investment came in, they came with no metering background and were not running the place as a serious business. This was an organisation that had staff strength of more than 200 people at that time, and all these people were Nigerians. This was aside the indirect employment the company provided. I don’t think the company now has up to 10 members of staff. A visit there would reveal that everything is in shambles. Even the top floor is leaking.

They cannot compete. They are now only into marketing, coming up with proposal when any of the distribution companies want supply. They have since stopped production. They were not able to open a production line for prepaid meters because they were producing electro-mechanic meters. So the new owners are not willing to move with the time and nobody will wait for them.

Investigation showed that at the time of privatisation, a foreign company made an attempt to buy the company; how true is this?

It was not actually a foreign company. They were EMCON’s technical partners; the company was producing under their license. It was a Swiss firm that has been in metering business for more than 100 years. They have plants in every continent as I speak with you now. Even in China, their factory is producing one million meters per annum. As I said, I was the desk officer during the privatisation exercise, so I was the one charged with the responsibility of submitting their expression of interest. I cannot remember the exact day for the close of submission, but it was at 5pm.

I was there when the collection was closed and they were the only ones that submitted their bid. I was the one who delivered it and signed the register. However, we were later told that Dantata Investment and Security Company (DISC) had submitted its own electronically, whereas in the advertisement that was issued internationally, it was categorically stated that the BPE (Bureau for Public Enterprise) was not going to collect any bidding electronically. When this Swiss company realised that there was lack of sincerity, it withdrew.

They, as well, withdrew their license, which EMCON was using. This compounded the problem of the EMCON. Does that mean there is no hope for the company? There is hope for the company since the purchase agreement stipulates that the Federal Government can take over its own company. I received a call about three months ago from an officer of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), making inquiry on EMCON, and I told him the situation the company is in now. If government decides to take over EMCON, the first thing they have to do is forensic audit to determine the condition of the machinery and the entire place. There are allegations that some of the machineries were carted away.

If that is done, there is nothing difficult to get staff and restart the company. I would like to say that if the relevant stakeholders had played their role, especially the supervisory role of the BPE on privatised companies, the place wouldn’t have been in this stage. Whether one likes it or not, the private sector has to come in to save the situation of the shortage of meters in Nigeria. We have to do the necessary things in Nigeria for things to change; otherwise we will remain where we are.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/why-nigerias-only-electricity-meter-company-collapsed-ex-manager.html

Failed country - Nigeria

This reminds me of the failed Ajaokuta Steel Mill, failed Nigeria Airways, and other failed/failing entities. But just gat to get up and get it right because we don't have a choice.

Meanwhile see 25 ways to avoid trouble in Nigeria. Don't say I didn't post it here o. Read it to fortify yourself.

Why will PHCN choose to restore power around 3am ? Are they now working with the Witches Association of Nigeria ?

It seems nothing last in the hand of the people that runs this country as it leaders.