NEMSA threatens withdrawal of electricity contractors’ licences for violating rules

The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), yesterday, threatened to withdraw licenses of electricity installation contractors who violate power industry rules.

Managing Director of NEMSA, Peter Ewesor, said adherence to the electricity guidelines was necessary to prevent loss of lives and property of Nigerians. Ewesor, who stated this in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, lamented that the agency had observed several lapses in the power sector and other workplaces in the area of electrical installations, resulting in unstable networks and fire incidents.

He said some of the lapses include design and construction failures, improper planning and execution of electrical projects, use of substandard materials and equipment, deliberate oversight of procedures, codes and requirements for executing electricity projects as specified by regulations and standard codes of practice.

Others are, lack of adherence to standard construction and installation and inadequate safety provisions during construction.

“These lapses are largely responsible for the deterioration of networks soon after commissioning, aging equipment and networks, as regularly adduced as the cause of frequent networks, system collapse and failures.

“The safety, reliability, quality and efficiency of power supply largely depend on the quality of networks and systems built according to specification and standard. Certification confirms contractors as competent, qualified and reliable to provide comfort and safety to the people to whom they provide electrical installation services,” he stated.

He stressed that NEMSA’s utmost goal was to play its part in ridding the industry of quacks, unqualified electrical installation contractors and bad electrical installations in the country to ensure delivery of reliable power supply to Nigerians and ensure safety of their lives and property.

“That is why the contractors are being certified. We want them to be on top of their game and do the right thing,” he said, and urged the panelists not to be sympathetic during the interview sessions.

“Being sympathetic means you have given somebody the license to go and destroy property.

The case of electrical engineers is the worst because they can kill a whole community. One mistake of an electrical engineer can lead to death of several people and loss of several property,” he stressed.