The re-appointed MD/CEO of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), Engr. Peter Ewesor has identified the issue of standardisation of equipment and materials, and the existence of quackery as major problems plaguing the sector.

According to him, these had led to many unfortunate incidences of electrical accidents and electrocutions in Nigeria.

The Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation has however assured that these problems would be strongly addressed as he began his second tenure in earnest.

He was speaking at the mini hand-over ceremony during which Engr. T. T. Aliyu presented the report of his brief stewardship during the period he acted for the MD/CEO.

Ewesor explained the focus of the management:“First is our unalloyed commitment to the implementation of the mandate of this Agency. As I had noted severally, the major challenge of the sector is quackery and we have evolved multiple strategies. We will make life unbearable for any group or individual who insist on endangering Nigerians through refusal to abide by professional safety standards.

“Recently, we secured a conviction of four accused persons at the Chief Magistrate's court of Kaduna State for the offences of criminal conspiracy, forgery of the NEMSA certificates and cheating contrary to Sections 59, 345 and 308 of the Penal Code of Kaduna State. This will serve as deterrence to those contemplating forging and counterfeiting NEMSA certificates or instruments.

“We are going to intensify our efforts in terms of enforcement of technical standards and regulations, technical inspection, testing and certification of all categories of electrical installations, electricity meters and instruments to ensure the efficient production and delivery of safe, reliable and sustainable power supply and guarantee safety of lives and property in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) and other allied industries/workplaces safety standards.

“The second focus is our determination to empower our staff to effectively discharge their responsibilities by ensuring a conducive environment for work, scale up on the necessary work equipment and investing in human capital development. Importantly too, we are already expanding our services, getting closer to people by inaugurating new Inspectorate field offices, such as the new Owerri office, Bauchi and one coming up in Uyo.

“And last but not the least is our rededication to the culture of integrity, transparency and openness in the management of the Agency. We are passionately committed to the anti-corruption crusade of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. We have always ensured due process in our operations and that has earned us the 12th position amongst 166 public institutions assessed by Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) in the 2017 FOI ranking recently conducted. Going forward we will ensure continuous maximum compliance with relevant extant rules and other regulations.”

The NEMSA boss assured Nigerians that the Agency would be more visible as it intensified efforts to enforce safety of use of electricity and safety of lives and property in the industry and Nigeria at large.

Ewesor completed his first tenure on September 10 before his reappointment by President Buhari on October 3 for a further term of four years in accordance with the provisions of Section 7(3) of the NEMSAAct, 2015.