Anti-corruption: EEDC commissions 100 ambassadors

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, Tuesday, warned that it would not condone any form of corrupt practices and unnecessary bottlenecks from its members of staff.

This is following the inauguration of 100 Change Ambassadors at an event at the EEDC Enugu corporate headquarters, with a mandate to do things in a different way and impart same on others.

The ambassadors, drawn from the 18 Districts of the company, are to drive the company’s Transformational Culture Change Initiative.

Addressing the workers, the Managing Director of EEDC, Mr Okey Nwosu, said that the workers must do away from certain habits they carried over from the defunct Power Holden Company of Nigeria, PHCN.

He said the journey to have a change of orientation in attitude started in January when the Board deployed consultants to look on how to improve service delivery to its customers.

“Delayed service is an invitation to corruption; when you create procedures that are unnecessary bottlenecks, it is another form of corruption. You might think that I am taking it too far but that is the reality.

“We are determined to change the way we do things; we must communicate to customers in a manner they will feel satisfied and happy.

“With extensive interview with staff and customers, they came out with the fact that most of the problems the company faces with its esteemed customers was that of negative attitude to work on the part of our staff.

“So, we have a mandate from the Board to change our attitude and ensure we uphold integrity in all we do; which will make the customers empathy with any challenge we might be going through as a company.

“From today, we must communicate to our customers that we are a rebranded and changed both in words and deeds,’’ he said.

Inaugurating the Change Ambassadors, Dr Steve Dike, a member of EEDC Board of Directors, said that after a survey in the company it was clear that there was a great need to change attitudes and culture of work.

Dike, who congratulated the Change Ambassadors for being chosen to lead the transformational initiative, charge them to live above board and ensure that negative deeds that questions the integrity of the company are stopped.

“The Change Ambassadors, who I will refer to as your excellences in this company, now carries the corporate image of the company personified with them and must lead by example and correct others.

“You people have the full support of the Board as you carry out your monitoring and correction especially with focus on treating our esteemed customers as king with due courtesy they supposed to get from us,’’ he said.

According to him, you have the power to warn and correct any erring staff as well as sending those that dress like touts back home as many times they are not properly dressed.

“There must be discipline, courtesy and integrity in our business especially as it relates to our esteemed customers,’’ he added.

In a remark, Mr Emeka Ezeh, Head, Communications of EEDC and one of the Change Ambassadors, assured the management and Board that the ambassadors would live up to expectation.

“We are committed to ensure that Transformational Culture Change Initiative trickles down to our district and area offices scattered in the entire South-East,’’ Ezeh said.