Power Minister urges stakeholders to adhere to guidelines

The Minister of State for Power, Mr Goddy Jedy-Agba has called on stakeholders in the power sector to adhere to guidelines that would ensure safety and move the industry forward.

Jedy-Agba made call on Tuesday at the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), presentation of the Nigerian Electrical Installations and Construction Guidelines Manual for the Distribution Sub -Sector of the Power Industry.

News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that the manual in line with the NEMSA ACT-2015 will serve as a reference instruction manual to guide all categories of electrical installations in the distribution subsector and other work place.

This is to ensure that the networks and electrical systems are largely uniform and consistent with national and international construction standard and safety.

He said that it was the function of NEMSA to produce the manual that would standardise the practice in the industry, adding that it beholds on all stakeholders to obey the law contained in it.

The minister said that NEMSA was backed by an act of parliament as it was within the orbit of the act that the manual was produced, therefore, it beholds on all stakeholders to obey the law.

“With these guidelines, incidence of blown equipment will not be a frequent thing as standardised equipment will be imported and it will be beneficial to all to adhere to what is contained in the manual.

“It goes without saying that, if you go from Abuja to Makurdi, perhaps you will observe that poles are bending, you will observe a lot of things, so this manual will standardise all that.

“This will ensure that we have adequate and appropriate equipment for electricity distribution in the country,” he said.

Jedy-Agba commended NEMSA for producing a document that would standardise the practice in the electricity industry and improve power supply in the country.

Earlier, Mr Peter Ewesor, Managing Director, NEMSA, said that the manual would address inadequacies of the standards, specifications and construction practices in the distribution sub-sector of Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

Ewesor said that the manual would also serve as a benchmark for NEMSA inspecting engineers and technical officers in the execution of the agency’s mandate, functions and enforcement.

“It is hoped that there would be dedicated use and application of the manual, particularly by the DisCos, National Rural Electrification Agency, States Rural Electrification Boards and other stakeholders.

“This will bring back the required sanity, safety, stability, standardisation and unification to our distribution networks and systems in line with national and international best practice,” he said.

Mr George Chiatula, former Chief Executive Officer of Port-Harcourt, Jos and Benin DisCos, reviewer of the manual recommended that NEMSA should organise monthly training for its engineers.

Chiatula also recommended that the manual for engineers, students, lecturers and the public, who are interested in electrical installation. (NAN)