By Adewale Sanyaolu
The Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), Mr. Peter Ewesor, has warned meter installers and electrical contractors to desist from the use of sub-standard electrical products.
Ewesor handed down the warning on the sidelines of the inauguration of the Eko and Oshodi Zonal electricity personnel certification panels (ZEMIPCP).
He said those involved in such unpatriotic act risk losing their certification or licenses in a bid to serve as a deterrent to others.
He added further that any certified personnel by NEMSA must know the right colour codes for cables and should know the right type of cable/ capacity to use for installation works.
The NEMSA boss said the wrong installation of meters using fake electrical products could lead to fire outbreak, thereby causing the property owner untold hardship and huge loss of hard earned resources.
Beyond loss of property, he said poor meter installation remained another source of revenue leakage in the power sector because electricity consumption will not be properly captured, thus leading to massive revenue loss for the Disco.
He said when a meter is properly installed, there is effective energy management, accountability and balance, adding that such will create prosperity in the industry because that is what will create liquidity in the electricity market that will help finance the entire value chain. He explained that the inauguration of ZEMIPCP is to help trace personnel involved in metering, so that should there be a fire outbreak, such installer could be traced and brought to book.
He said ZEMIPCP is one of the instruments used by NEMSA to carryout appropriate monitoring of how electricity meters and transformers are to be installed by electrical contractors.
The NEMSA CEO , who is also the Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation, said the agency by law is mandated to check, test and ensure that all power equipment are of the right type and quality.
He, however, said NEMSA cannot carry out this task alone even if it employs five thousand workers, hence the decision to have certified electrical installation contractors.