Stakeholders Seek Support for NEMSA’s Standards Enforcement Efforts

Stakeholders in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) have called for support for the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) drive to enforce standards in the power sector.

The stakeholders who spoke during a roundtable meeting for legislature and judiciary on the enforcement of technical standards and regulations, mandate, roles and responsibilities of NEMSA included the Minister of State, Power, Mr. Goddy Jedy-Agba; Chairman, NEMSA Governing Board, Mr. Suleiman Yahaya; Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Senator Gabriel Suswam, and Managing Director of NEMSA, Mr. Peter Ewesor.

Others were a former Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Power, Patrick Ikhariale and former Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Philip Aduda.

In his comments, Jedy-Agba urged members of the judiciary and legislature to assist in enforcing the standards, noting that it is in the interest of the entire nation.

The minister said the ministry of power was working with lawmakers to strengthen the extant Act guiding the sector, noting that it would address a lot of problems in the power sector.

“It has been observed that NEMSA’s attempts to enforce these standards have met with resistance on some occasions which is attributed to lack of adequate knowledge about the agency,” he said.

Also speaking, Suswam, said a lot of changes had taken place since the enactment of the law, stating that it was time to rework it since new entities have emerged.

“So what we are trying to do is to put up an Act that comprehensively covers all sectors of the power industry. New issues have arisen from those entities that have been taken over by private companies.

“You also know that we now have the renewable energy sector, which was not covered in what we have in the reform Act. All of these are going to be covered,” he stated.

He also noted that the Senate would look at areas of conflict between the mandates of NEMSA and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), with a view to sorting them out.

“These are things to be comprehensively covered in the Electricity Act. The first reading of the bill has been read already and we are going to the second reading, which I think will be done before we go on recess,” he noted.

In his presentation, Ewesor, explained that there are issues of poor electrical equipment and substandard electrical materials, adding that NEMSA had resolved to tackle them head-on.

He stated that the agency was optimistic about having the new Act enacted, adding that the enforcement of the National Low Voltage Standards of government would begin from July.

According to him, no equipment would be allowed to come into Nigeria from next month if it failed to meet the required voltage standard, adding that NEMSA organised the roundtable to further educate the lawmakers and the judiciary on the mandate of the agency.

To promote safety, Ewesor said NEMSA certifies electricians too to “ensure only competent and qualified people carry out electrical jobs in Nigeria.”

The agency, he said, inspects, tests and certifies all electrical materials and equipment to ensure sound use.
“The national assembly actually passed a resolution that NEMSA should follow up to ensure that all structures under power lines are demolished,” he said.