By Uthman Salami
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), Engr. Peter Ewesor, has warned meter installers and electrical contractors against the use of sub-standard electrical products while undergoing installation.
The Director gave this warning on the sidelines of the inauguration of the Eko and Oshodi Zonal electricity personnel certification panels (ZEMIPCP) which was recently held in Lagos.
He threatened those involved in such unpatriotic act would risk losing their certification or licenses.
He said revocation of the licenses of the those found culpable would serve as a deterrent to others in engaging in such an act.
He further charged all the certified personnel by NEMSAt to know the right colour codes for cables and should know the right type of cable capacity to use for installation works.
The Director explained that 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.
Beside this, the Director stated that 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 it employs five thousand workers, hence the decision to have certified electrical installation contractors and certified electricity metering personnel.
He added that the certification would help the personnel to know what to look out for before a meter is installed, saying a meter without the NEMSA label is sub-standard.
He advised Nigerians to patronize only certified NEMSA personnel whom the law and approved to carry out electrical installation works, saying any other personnel engaged to carry out this role is a quack.