The Newly installed General Manager of AES SONEL, Joel Nana Nontchou, has said his number one priority is to ensure that the customers of the company are satisfied.

He was speaking in Doula, August 19, at the AES SONEL office in Koumassi, after being installed by the Minister of Water and Energy, Basile Atangana Kouna.

The event also saw the installation of Professor Hamandjoda Oumarou as Assistant General Manager of the company.

In his acceptance speech, Jean Nana Kontchou said he was very happy to take up functions as General Manager and greeted the team in place, particularly his predecessor, Jean David Bille for working so hard in the last years at the company in very difficult conditions.

“I am thanking Jean David Bille for his openness, all he did to ensure this transition and above all for his friendly nature” he said.

He continued that the challenge in front of them is much and the expectations of all parties who are customers, staff and funder is prime.

The first he said is to make electricity available to those who pay for the services of the company adding that “We have to put at the dispositions of our clients regular and quality energy.

The second priority in his plan of action is to reduce losses in the company while the third priority is to see that their investment helps them improve on their work.

The General Manager with over 29 years experience said the major problems of the company will be solved only by the company because the necessary expertise exists amongst the staff.

Jean Nana said together they shall work for development because he believes in Human Development trough training as well as reward by merit and justice.

He continued that in the week ahead, reflection groups will be put in place on the different aspects of the company; the essence, he said is to do a self dissection of the company’s investments, expenditures, objectives, operational performances and development of the company’s human resources.

He told his co-workers that they have to make sure that they can look in the eyes of Cameroonians and tell them without hesitation that “We are doing everything to facilitate life and prosperity in your businesses”.

As a team leader, he said he counted on electricians, producers, transporters, distributors, commercial workers, meter readers, administrators and drivers to join in to overcome the challenges ahead of them.

“I am convinced that by working together and by giving our best we shall emerge as one of the best company’s in Africa” He concluded.

Speaking earlier, the Minister of Water and Energy, Basile Atangana Kouna, narrated how Actis indicated their interest to the Government and how Government approved their taking over the shares of AES.

He called on the new team to make sure that they keep constant supply of energy as it was done during the world cup that too place in Brazil.

Minister Basile Atangana Kouna thanked the out going GM for what he did for the company and wished him luck in his career.

According to the minister, Energy is vertebral Colum in the life of our country; hence AES SONEL is a unique company.

Meanwhile the staff representative of the company, Thomas Ndoyo, said it is impossible for the new General Manager to carry out his functions without mobilizing the entire labour force of the company.

Bio data 52 years old Joel Nana Kontchou graduated from the National Polytechnique Yaounde in 1984 and worked at Schlumberger as Project Engineer from 1984 to 1995.

From 1985to 1999 he was Director of Operations for Schlumberger Information System then in 1997 he was made Director of personelle in Schlumberger.

In 2001 he was made Director of COMMUNICATION AND Marketing in the same company, Vice President of Schlumberger Information System from 2004 to 2010, 2010, he was made General Manager of Schlumberger Central Africa and in August 2014, he was installed as General Manager of AES SONEL.

His assistant, Professor Hamandjoda Oumarou, has a PHD in Hydropower Plants Engineering and Hydraulic Structures from Russia, he was appointed Assistant General Manager of AES SONEL in 2009 and was confirmed in 2014.