390
By Daniel Adaji
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s electricity sector have called on the House of Representatives to launch a full-scale investigation into the failure of government agencies to enforce electricity safety standards.
They warned that the gap in enforcement is fuelling the rise of substandard materials, vandalism, and fatal electrical accidents across the country.
This call was contained in a recently released communique of the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) Safety Conference 2024, shared with Pointblanknews.com by the Association for Public Policy Analysis (APPA) on Monday. Chief Princewill Okorie, the conference consultant and chairman of the conference organising committee, signed the document.
“The House Committee on Safety Standards and Regulations should initiate an investigative hearing to ascertain the extent of compliance by regulatory agencies like NEMSA, SON, Nigeria Customs Service, and the Nigeria Police Force,” the communique stated.
Stakeholders believe such a probe is urgent to fix the failures that are costing lives and property across the power sector.
Participants at the conference included key players from the legislative, executive, private, and civil society sectors.
They jointly observed that Nigeria’s power sector is plagued by enforcement failures, lack of awareness, and an influx of fake electrical materials.
“The influx of substandard electrical materials into the Nigerian market is caused by the absence of proper testing facilities and the failure to involve non-state actors in quality control processes,” the communique read.
The stakeholders expressed concern over the disregard for safety rules in building under high-tension lines, noting this leads to avoidable electrocutions and fire outbreaks.
“Violation of Right of Way through construction under high-tension lines remains a major threat to electricity safety,” they noted, urging local government authorities and urban planning departments to take action.
They also lamented the lack of coordination between safety regulators and policy makers, citing the absence of a dedicated body like the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry Safety Support Committee (NESI Safety Support Committee) as a key gap.
They recommended that the committee be urgently established and coordinated by APPA to enhance awareness, reporting, and enforcement.
“Legislative oversight and investigation must now focus on compliance failures. We are calling on the House of Representatives to work with relevant ministries and agencies to ensure safety rules are enforced,” it stated.
The communique warned that despite the provisions of the Electricity Act 2023, Nigeria continues to record high rates of transformer failures, electrocutions, and equipment vandalism.
“Many contractors use substandard materials after being extorted during contract approvals. Others hire unqualified technicians who operate without NEMSA certification,” it said.
Okorie emphasised that “this legislative inaction has given rise to quackery and the sale of dangerous equipment that has claimed innocent lives.”
The conference urged the legislature to adopt the NESI Safety Conference as an annual platform for review and policy dialogue and to commission a comprehensive Legislative Oversight and Investigative Policy Document on safety regulation. The proposed document, they said, should outline standardised procedures, sanctions, monitoring tools, and a stakeholder engagement strategy.
Furthermore, stakeholders pressed for stronger action on renewable energy safety, noting that substandard solar panels and accessories are wasting public resources meant for climate initiatives. “There must be a legislative process to audit and regulate solar energy products entering Nigeria, with specific funds earmarked for safety enforcement,” they insisted.
The communique also called for:
The creation of a Quackery and Substandard Materials Committee to support NEMSA’s enforcement of the Electricity Act 2023.
Mandatory association membership for certified electrical installers to allow for effective censorship and discipline.
National sensitisation campaigns coordinated by the Ministry of Information and National Orientation to educate the public on electricity safety.
Legislative collaboration with the House Committees on Power, Environment, and Climate Change to inspect and audit renewable energy programmes.
Stakeholders concluded that: “Electricity energises industries, powers homes, and fuels the dreams of citizens. The current legislative oversight is inadequate, and urgent reform is needed to prevent further loss of life and property.”