Business
Supply Of Meters To Consumers’ll Improve -Fashola
The Minster of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola says supply of meters to electricity consumers will improve following the approval of a new regulation for meter asset providers.
Fashola said this at a media forum in Abuja, last sunday.
He also said the challenge of meter supply was one of the problems among other issues that the Federal Government was resolving under the Power Sector Recovery Programme (PSRP).
“For meters specifically, it will get better, which is one of the problems we intend to solve under the Power Sector Recovery Programme (PSRP).
“Every problem that afflicts the industry that we have seen is in that PSRP, so that PSRP is like the first aid kit to solving, it is like the do it all box, if new problems comes we will throw it inside.
“So specifically about meters, you would have heard that on Monday at our meeting in Uyo, the regulator presented the regulations that allows new meter asset providers to now be licensed.
“What that means is that you can be a meter assets provider if you meet the conditions. What that means is that you are bringing money to help meter customers in a DISCO.
“What it means is that you are relieving the financial pressure from the DISCO, so the DISCO can face their core business which is to distribute energy.
“Meters don’t distribute energy, meters measure energy that is been distributed.
“The core business of the DISCO is to distribute energy, they need meters.
“But we want them to invest their own money in transformers, in circuit breakers, in re-conducting their lines which is really the heart of their business, so it will get better.”
He said the mandate on metering of electricity consumers was a contractual obligation that happened before the emergence of the current administration.
“I think that first you need to focus on the fact that this is a change of the old order in the sense that, it is now privately driven and it is now four years plus.
“So what we could not do successfully for 60 years during the government monopoly, can we really do all of it in four years?”
He, however, said the PSRP, with global acceptance and support of the World Bank remained a tool kit to salvage the challenges of the sector.
“So we have seen problems of metering, MDAs debts, tariff, gas pricing and all of these problems that we see, the PSRP is the tool kit.
“So metering is part of PSRP, consumer service is part of it, preventing energy theft is part of it.
“Also, the N701 billion payment assurance guarantee to ensure that GENCOs get paid and paying the debts owed by the MDA to the DISCOs are all part of the challenges.’’
The minister said PSRP was also designed so that Nigerians can know, understand and follow activities of government in the sector.
He said the intention of government was to translate the contents of PSRP into major languages for easy understanding by Nigerians.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic
Reports say that the training is designed to equip youths with practical technical skills for employment in the oil and gas and construction sectors, with emphasis on employability, safety, competence and self reliance.
In attendance at the flag-off ceremony this week, at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Conference Hall, Effurun, were stakeholders, dignitaries, and political representatives, among others.
Dafinone, represented by his Chief of Staff, Adelabu Bodjor, said the initiative reflects a deliberate political investment in human capital development across Delta Central.
He explained that the training focuses on rigging and scaffolding, noting that “both are essential technical competencies required in industrial operations, construction projects, and oil and gas installations”.
Bodjor added, “The programme is intended to reduce dependency among youths by providing job-ready skills capable of supporting long-term economic opportunities and self-sufficiency. The initiative aligns with Senator Dafinone’s broader development agenda, which prioritises practical skill acquisition as a pathway to sustainable empowerment.”
Also addressing the participants, the NCDMB, Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by Mr. Teddy Bai, commended Dafinone for sponsoring the programme, describing it as “a timely response to critical manpower gaps in the industry”.
Bai explained that rigging and scaffolding remain safety-sensitive skills required across fabrication yards, offshore platforms, and construction sites, stressing that the programme bridges the gap between certification and practical competence.
He also charged the training consultant, OROH Contractors Limited, to maintain strict standards of professionalism, safety, and discipline, while urging participants to remain committed, focused, and disciplined throughout the exercise.
The Senate Liaison Officer for Sapele Local Government Area, Chief Patrick Akamuvba, , described the programme as a major step in strengthening human capital development in Delta Central.
Akamuvba said scaffolding and rigging skills are in high demand across residential, commercial, and industrial construction projects, noting that the training offers real employment opportunities for beneficiaries
He urged participants to prioritise knowledge and certification over short-term material expectations, stressing that discipline and seriousness would determine their long-term success.
He also cautioned youths against social vices and distractions, advising them to remain focused to maximise the opportunities provided by the programme.
