Safety:NEMSA Brings Electricity Stakeholders Together In Abuja

Tosin Kolade
Dec, Tue, 2024

Economy/Business

Safety:NEMSA brings electricity stakeholders together in Abuja

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By Kadiri Abdulrahman

Electricity stakeholders on Tuesday, gathered in Abuja to discuss safety regulation in the industry.

The gathering was at the 4th edition of the Stakeholders Roundtable for the Enforcement of Technical Standards, Regulations and Mandate of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA).

The theme of the roundtable was: “Optimising Executive, Legislative and Judicial Roles on NEMSA’s Mandate of Enforcement of Technical Standards and Regulations in NESI”.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, said that the roundtable represented a crucial step towards deepening awareness.

Adelabu said that it would also foster compliance with approved standards and regulations in the deployment of solar mini-grid systems across the country.

The minister was represented by Mrs Ochanya Ofoma, the Director, General Services, Ministry of Power.

He said that addressing issues like the quality of solar components, proper installation practices, and safety measures would advance the reliability and sustainability of Nigeria’s energy systems.

According to him, it will also safeguard the lives and investments of all stakeholders in the power sector.

“The Ministry of Power remains steadfast on its commitment to creating an enabling environment that supports innovation, investment and growth within the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

“We recognise that achieving universal energy access, a key component of our national development agenda, requires robust collaboration between the public and private sector as well as international development partners.

“Events such as this serve as vital platforms for fostering such collaborations, ” he said.

The minister said that the roundtable was a call to action to all stakeholders to allign their efforts towards achieving a safe, sustainable, and inclusive energy future for Nigeria.

Earlier, the Managing Director of NEMSA, Aliyu Tahir, said that the gathering was one of the critical steps in the collective journey towards ensuring the safety, reliability, and sustainability of Nigeria’s electricity supply industry.

According to Tahir, the critical roles played by legislative and judicial arms of government in shaping and upholding regulatory frameworks can not be overstated.

“Your partnership is essential in strengthening the enforcement of technical standards and regulations and ensuring compliance across the sector.

“The NEMSA is established to carry out the functions of enforcement of technical standards and regulations, technical inspection, testing and certification of all categories of electrical installations, electricity meters, and instruments.

“This is to ensure the efficient production and delivery of safe, reliable and sustainable electricity power supply and guarantee safety of lives and property,” he said.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Sen. Eyinaya Abaribe, said that the roundtable was organised at a time when the use of substandard and inadequate electrical equipment was considered as one of the main causes of grid collapse.

Abaribe said that the issue of standards and regulation needed to be improved upon to address the challenge.

He, however, said that state governments did not have the powers to enforce standards of electrical equipment.

“In amending the electricity act, we may need to make it more explicit that for the question of safety, Nigeria must have one standard.

“Federal laws supercede state laws,” he said.

Earlier, Amb. Godsknow Igali, a former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, said that electricity workers should be commended for working round the clock, and for taking risks to ensure that their is power.

Igali also cautioned the proliferation of standard and regulatory agencies by state governments. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ese E. Eniola Williams

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