Don’t call me, please dial 253—Chikuni

Lilongwe Water Board chief executive officer (CEO) Alfonso Chikuni has asked customers to stop calling him and other officials whenever they experience water challenges but instead utilise the board’s call centre—253. 

Chikuni made the plea last week when the board in partnership with Nitel, a technological solutions company, briefed journalists about the newly introduced point of sale (POSnet) payment device.

The device enables customers on prepaid metering system to buy water units closer to where they live as it has been placed in various filling stations in the city.

Chikuni bemoaned that some customers keep calling him and other senior officials for assistance.

“Despite having the call centre, people still want to call Chikuni. They don’t want to call 253.

“But now we have advertised about it for more people to know about it. It is good to use it because it is free and you get feedback,” he said.

LWB’s director of finance SilliMbewe, who also said she receives direct calls, said customers should feel that when they call the call centre they will be assisted.

“Calling the CEO might not help them as he might not be conversant with the problem or he may be attending a meeting,” she said.

Mbewe therefore asked the customers to believe that they can get better services by calling the call-centre and not the CEO.

The board has asked the media to disseminate information about the institution’s new innovations.