Following the recent electrocution tragedy in a Calabar football viewing centre leading to the death of several, the Federal Government is intensifying public sensitization on appropriate electricity installation and use to avert a repeat of such ugly incident anywhere in the country.
This formed the crust of deliberations when the Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA) Dr. Garba Abari received the Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), Engineer Peter Ewesor on a working visit in his office.
The NOA Director General stressed the need for thorough sensitization of Nigerians, from the elites to the grassroots, on appropriate safety standards to ensure in building construction to avoid electricity related disasters leading to loss of lives and properties. In his words: “Electricity sensitization must be designed to reach all stakeholders at all levels. The bottom line is to have a building industry and an electricity industry that does not put the lives of Nigerians at risk”.
Abari described NEMSA as key to preventing the rampant and unnecessary death of Nigerians due to faulty electrical installations, pledging that NOA would work closely with NEMSA to ensure that electricity distribution and consumption in Nigeria is safe.
Earlier, the NEMSA boss had explained that his Agency is in talks with stakeholders, including State Governments, to clear all buildings along major electrical lines around the country to avert a repeat of such incidents as the Calabar tragedy. He urged Nigerians to use only NEMSA licensed contractors for their electrical installations, noting that there were various levels of certifications for electricity installation contractors which permit them to handle only specified kinds of installations. He said NEMSA is the Agency established to enforce technical standards and regulations, carry out technical inspection, test and certify all categories of electrical installations, electricity meters and instruments.
Engineer Ewesor who is also the Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation said the objective of NEMSA, established by an Act of parliament in 2015, is to ensure the efficient production and delivery of safe, reliable and sustainable electricity power supply and also guarantee safety of lives and property in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) and other allied industries and workplaces.