BY SAM OTUONYE
To stem the frequent occurrence of electrical accident, Nigerians have been advised to always make use of the services of licensed electrical personnel and electrical contractors to avoid electrical accidents and other related issues
The advice was given on Thursday by the Minister of Power Chief Adebayo Adelabu in an address he delivered at a two-day Electricity Supply Industry Safety Conference 2024 organized by House of Representatives Committee on Safety Standards and Regulations in collaboration with the Association for Public Policy Analysis in Abuja.
The Minister who was represented at the occasion by Engr. Aliyu Tukur Tahir, FNSE, the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) and Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation (CEIF), said the advise had become necessary in order to avoid frequent electrical accidents and other associated hazards.
He said : “As we all know; safety is not just a priority; it is a core value. We must always put the well-being of our colleagues, customers, and the community first. Our industry is governed by strict standards and regulations. Compliance is not optional; it is mandatory. Electricity, as we all know, is very useful to human life and is key to the economic development and growth of any nation. However, its use is associated with hazards and risks. Therefore, if the electrical systems are not properly planned, executed, maintained and utilised in line with the standards and extant regulations, a terrible price is paid in terms of injury and equipment damage, downtime, etc. Adherence to technical standards and specifications in the design, construction, operations and maintenance are therefore necessary as they are key to the effective, efficient and safe use of this very important utility.
“Therefore, one of the core activities carried out by the Federal Ministry of Power through the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) is the certification of electrical installations practitioners/personnel to ensure they have the skills and competence before they are allowed to carryout any electrical installation work in the country.
“The certified personnel are expected to always use the right quality and standard electrical material and equipment in the installation and construction works handled by them; constantly adhere to the approved standards construction and installation practices; constantly adhere to safety provision during construction/installation works and subsequent maintenance of the installations; as well as constantly adhere to procedures and requirements for executing electricity projects as specified by extant regulations, standards, and codes of practice. They are equally expected to ensure that all electrical installation works carried out are subjected to statutory inspection, testing and certification by NEMSA before they are put to use”, the minister said.