Electrical experts urged to proffer solutions to power outages

The new national chairman the Nigerian Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (NIEEE), Mr Emmanuel Akinwole, on Sunday stressed the need to change the method of power distribution nationwide.

Akinwole, the 17th national chairman of NIEEE, while delivering his speech at his investiture, said that no matter the amount of power generated, it will not be enough except bottlenecks in its distribution were removed.

“As a body, we have consistently canvassed the need to explore what is called embedded generation.

“This involves the principal generation of power at the load centres, to reduce or cut off long distance transfers fraught with mindless vandalism, theft and huge technical losses, as being currently experienced.

“When you look at Lagos, a load centre for example, it is more viable to develop an Independent Power Project (IPP) around Ikorodu or Lekki, which is nearby, so that you can capture the load immediately, instead of waiting to transport gas from THE Niger Delta and anytime there is any problems on the road, the whole of Lagos would be in darkness, which is what we are currently experiencing,’’ he said.

Akinwole also called on the Federal Government to support small and medium enterprises to go into the production of electronics, usually imported into the nation.

The immediate past national chairman of the institution, Mr Glorious Omatseye, told journalists that power distribution problem in the nation had become ‘complex’.

Omatseye said that apart from the problem of the load station, electricity workers were no longer dedicated to ‘trouble shooting’, to solve problems.

He said the lack of zeal had led to poor maintenance culture affecting the effective distribution of electricity.

Earlier, while delivering his speech, Omatseye urged employers to encourage electrical engineers in their employment to get certified, to reduce quackery.

Also, the President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Mr Otis Anyaeji, represented by his deputy, Mr Kunle Mokuolu, said the society must sustain the advocacy for professionalism.

“The NSE must sustain the advocacy for the recognition and involvement of engineers in the mainstream of governance in policy making.

“We must present ourselves as eminently qualified to take up the roles we are advocating for.

“This is where the importance of professional development comes to mind, as we must, therefore, continue to synchronize our thought processes in the same direction, until Nigerian engineers get their rightful placements in every sphere, in pursuit of national development,’’ he said.

Anyaeji, therefore, urged members to key in into ongoing restructuring, to adopt new technology to upgrade engineering practice in the nation.