NEMSA Threatens To Withdraw Licences Of Erring Electrical Contractors

The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) has threatened to withdraw licenses of electrical installation contractors who violate the extant laws operating in the power industry.
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NEMSA, Engr. Peter Ewesor, who made the threat at the inauguration of the Zonal Electrical Installation Contractors Certification Panel in Port Harcourt, said that the move was to prevent loss of lives and property of Nigerians.
Ewesor, who is also the Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation, said that several lapses had been identified in the power sector and other workplaces in the area of electrical installations, resulting in unstable networks and fire incidents over the years.
According to him, “these lapses are largely responsible for the networks getting into states of disrepair soon after commissioning them for use, and the aging equipment and networks, as regularly adduced as the causes of frequent networks/system collapse and failures”.
Ewezor listed some of the lapses as, “design and construction failures, improper planning and execution of electrical projects, use of substandard material and equipment, deliberate oversight of the procedures, codes and requirements for executing electricity projects as specified by regulations and standard codes of practice, lack of adherence to standard construction and installation, inadequate safety provisions during construction”.
The NEMSA boss said, “The safety, reliability, quality and efficiency of power supply to the populace largely depends on the quality of networks and systems that are built according to specification and standard. This certification is to say that we have certified you as being competent, qualified, reliable to provide level of comfort and safety to the people you are providing the electrical installation services to.
“So, if you now provide otherwise services that lead to loss of lives, that actually lead to bad installation that will cause havoc and hazard, why should you continue to have the certificate? There are two ways; either we suspend or we revoke. Suspend means given the opportunity to explain what happened, giving the opportunity to see if you can improve.
“But revocation means the persons has caused a very serious problem in the industry probably that would lead to loss of lives and property and you have led to actually creating a lot of disaffection. Then, we don’t need to allow you to continue to work. And this happens in all professions,” Ewesor stated.
He assured that the agency would play its role in stamping out quacks, unqualified electrical installation contractors and bad electrical installations in the country to ensure quality and uninterrupted power supply to Nigerians, while ensuring safety of lives and property and taking Nigerians out of darkness into light.
“That is why these contractors are being certified. We want them to be on top of their game and do the right thing,” he explained,
He urged the panel to be honest in its work and shun unnecessary sympathy towards anybody during the interview session.
“Being sympathetic means you (panelist) have given somebody the license to say the man can go and destroy property. In the case of an electrical engineer, it is probably one of the worst because he can kill a whole community. One mistake of an electrical engineer in the industry can lead to death of several people and loss of several property,” he stated.

By: Tonye Nria-Dappa