By Comfort Olayinka
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Safety Standards and Regulations, Hon. (Dr) Sulaiman Abubakar Gumi, has emphasized that safety in the Nigerian electricity sector cannot be negotiable.
He made this statement during a briefing to present the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry Safety Conference at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Tuesday.
Gumi noted that despite efforts by the Federal Government to address safety issues in the sector, problems still persist. These problems include vandalism, theft, installation of electricity by non-licensed electrical installers, production, marketing, and use of sub-standard electrical materials, among others.
The Committee has identified the Power Sector as a critical area that requires effective legislative actions to ensure safety standards and regulatory policies are observed.
Gumi stated the Federal Government’s commitments to enhancing safety standards and regulations in the electricity sector he said
“The Federal Government of Nigeria has made a commitment towards enhancing safety standards and regulations in the electricity sector by ascertaining laws, regulations and established institutions to coordinate, implement and enforce the laws.
He explained that Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry Safety Conference aims to bring stakeholders together to appraise opportunities, prospects, and challenges existing in the Safety Standards and Regulation segment of NESI.
“The conference aims to build synergy among stakeholders and enhance collective approach to deal with the menace of manufacture, importation, marketing and use of sub-standard electrical materials and quackery in the nation’s power sector.
“It aims to address the challenges of importation of substandard solar systems and materials required for execution of renewable energy and climate change related projects, through articulation of framework for Renewable Energy Safety Standards and Regulations policy.
He added that it would strengthen compliance and enforcement strategies for prevention of vandalism, theft, false declarations, etc.
He expressed the conference is expected to build synergy among stakeholders and enhance collective approach to deal with the menace of manufacture, importation, marketing, and use of sub-standard electrical materials and quackery in the nation’s power sector.
Gumi assured It will address the challenges of importation of substandard solar systems amongst others
“It will also address the nexus between electricity safety standards and regulations, health and construction policies at the Local, State and Federal Government levels,” he said.
“The Committee identified the Power Sector as an important sector whose safety standards and regulatory policies should be observed for effective legislative actions.
“This is with the overall aim of ensuring that electricity service delivery in the country is carried out in a safe, secured and qualitative manner, devoid of loss of lives and properties such.
“Moreso, to relieve the occurrences of incidences such as electrical accidents, electrocution, distortion of the functionality of electricity networks and grids, theft and vandalism and so on.
“Despite the efforts of the Government in creating laws, setting up regulatory policies, establishing institutions of State and providing guidelines, codes and rules which operators in the sector should abide by, problems still exist,” he said.
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