Adelabu said that at the last count, not less than five states had enacted their own electricity laws and commended the legislature for their incessant resolve to bring to fruition necessary statutes with positive bearing on the lives of the citizenry
“Be rest assured that the ministry under my leadership is dedicated to leading the engagements with the state governments to maintain standards across the board to ensure that desirable reforms are undertaken and guided against regulatory rupture, ‘’ he said.
Chairman, House Committee on Power, Victor Okolo, said there was need to ensure that all electrical installations deployed in NESI met required technical standard regulation and specification.
Represented by Rep Rodney Ambaiowei, Okolo said that the technical standard regulation and specification was to ensure that such systems were capable of delivering safe and reliable electricity supply to guarantee safety of lives and property.
“We have observed that NEMSA, in an attempt to enforce its mandate, has met with stiff resistance on several occasions which is attributed to lack of adequate knowledge of the agency and its function.
“However, at the end of this conference, participants would have been better informed of the mandate of NEMSA and spread the message to those concerned.
“On our part, we assure the agency that it receives adequate funding and other support it needs to effectively discharge its responsibilities, ‘’ he said.
Former Chairman of the NEMSA Governing Board, Suleman Yahaya, has appealed to the federal government for sufficient funding for NEMSA to effectively carry out its mandate of enforcing technical standards. Yahaya emphasized that a stable electricity market and reliable electricity supply depend on good technical standards regulation and certification enforcement across all categories of electrical installations, including power generation, transmission, distribution, and metering.
He urged support for NEMSA’s mandate through a comprehensive framework and active collaboration with the legislative and judicial arms of government. Managing Director of NEMSA, Aliyu Tahir, highlighted the critical role of enforcing technical standards and regulations in managing the growth of the electricity industry. He stressed the importance of ensuring that all electrical installations meet required technical standards, regulations, and specifications to guarantee safe, reliable, and sustainable electricity supply and the safety of lives and property.
Tahir outlined NEMSA’s resources, including 19 Inspectorate Field Offices, six National Meter Test Stations, and one engineering and chemical laboratory, all staffed by qualified professionals. He also mentioned plans to open meter test stations in the North East and North Central Geopolitical Zones pending approved funding. Tahir noted that NEMSA had faced resistance in carrying out its mandate due to a lack of adequate knowledge about the agency’s role in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
As part of an effort to bridge this knowledge gap, NEMSA organized a one-day enlightenment and interactive program for legislators, judiciary, state government representatives, and other stakeholders. The program aimed to sensitize participants to the legal framework for enforcing technical standards and regulations in NESI and allied industries.
