NEMSA Moves for More Inspectorate Offices to Enforce Standards in Electricity Sector

Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja

The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) is set to create more inspectorate field offices in all states of the federation in a bid to enforce technical  standards, regulations and codes in the electricity sector across the country.

The establishment Act mandates the agency to enforce technical standards and regulations, technical inspection, testing and certification of all categories of electrical installations, electricity meters and instruments, to ensure the efficient production and delivery of safe, reliable and sustainable electricity power supply, as well as  guarantee safety of lives and property in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) and other allied industries/workplaces.

NEMSA Managing Director/CEO, Aliyu Tukur Tahir, who spoke during an interactive session with journalists in Abuja, yesterday, noted that the roles, responsibilities and functions of NEMSA were very critical in the power sector and at the same time enormous, adding that for effective coverage of the length and breadth of the country, enough engineers and technical personnel were needed.

According to him, in order to provide NEMSA wider coverage across the country,  more inspectorate field offices will be created in all states in all states
“Thankfully, the government is doing its bit in this direction. However, with the evolving global trend in electricity generation, transmission, especially as the world is tilting towards renewable energy, there is need for our engineers and technical staff to be trained and retrained.

“This training will provide the requisite knowledge our engineers,” Tahir said, stressing that as an enforcement agency, NEMSA was determined to continue to carry out its statutory functions of technical inspection,  testingand certification of all electrical materials and equipment in the electricity industry
NEMSA, he disclosed, was among the first government agencies to be ISI-certified.

Listing some of the achievements of the agency, he revealed that it had tested and calibrated over 2.6 million meters  inspected and tested 21,681 electricity installations projects, monitored 16, 624 electricity networks, inspected, tested and certified fit about 4,921 factories, hazardous installations and public places nationwide.

He disclosed that a number of prosecutions had been made by the agency for breach of recommended standards with four convictions secured.