By Peter Kanjere, ESCOM PRO
Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) Limited Wednesday rewarded its four standout employees in Mangochi for averting a potential fire accident in the lakeshore district on October 17 2023.
ESCOM Chief Executive Officer, Kamkwamba Kumwenda and Director of Human Resources and Administration, Chrispin Banda, presented the awards to the general workers—Mussa Dickson, Andrew Chipinga, Thom Kaulembe and Gift Saidi—at the power utility company’s office in Mangochi.
In his speech at the awards ceremony, Kumwenda hailed the linespersons for not only averted a potential fire accident but also ensuring uninterrupted power supply to Mangochi Town.
“The awards are in line with the direction that this new ESCOM has taken to acknowledge performance of outstanding employees. This is also in line with the Integrated Strategic Plan for the year 2023-2027 which we launched in Lilongwe last week,” he said.
Kumwenda assured the employees that management had put in place mechanisms of monitoring performance of employees to reward them accordingly.
He added that the Functional Review which the company is implementing is meant to ensure that members of staff serve in roles they are more competent in.
Speaking earlier, Banda urged the members of staff to adopt the spirit of engaged employees who work proactively to provide solutions when things are about to go wrong in the line of duty as opposed to being disengaged employees.
The four linesperson reacted the fastest to douse a fire which had engulfed a cross arm on a pole for the 11KV Overhead Line 1L5-Mangochi power line which supplies the town.
Mussa Dickson received Individual Outstanding Achievement Award comprising a certificate and K643,807.50 cheque. Kaulembe, Chipinga and Saidi earned Outstanding Team accolade. The trio received certificates of recognitions and cash rewards of K214,602.50 each
Dickson, who climbed on the pole and doused the fire using water with the help of his colleagues, said the award had come as a pleasant surprise.
“It is something I never imagined in my wildest dreams. This recognition will motivate me to work harder,” he said.
Kaulembe said they moved in with speed as the fire could have cost ESCOM a lot of money in damages to its property and that of others if it had spiraled out of control as the pole is very close to establishments such as a gasoline filling station.
Mangochi District Engineer, Martin Mbwandira, assured management that the awards would act as a motivation for employees in the district to continue working hard in service delivery.
News of the brave act went viral on social media platforms such as Facebook.