NEMSA warns DISCOs

In from Ali Smart…

Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) has directed Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) and construction companies operating in Nigeria to comply with sector specifics minimum standards, global best practices on safety to avoid sanctions.

Giving this charge was the Managing Director (NEMSA) Peter Ewezor. He spoke in Abuja on Wednesday when he inspected project sites of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (ABUJA DISCO) and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), the company handling Abuja rail project.

Ewezor, who also doubles as Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation, said there were pronounced cases of impunity and technical gaps in the power and construction projects in Abuja and other parts of Nigeria.

According to him, NEMSA is carrying out nationwide enforcement/advocacy visitations to sites where there are faults in power lines, railway/roads or building constructions.

Ewezor who identified some areas in the FCT, where there were some constructions defects, said the companies would be sanctioned, unless they rectify these defects.

He said with the coming to being of the NEMSA ACT, 2015, the era of impunity (anything goes is over) it would no longer be business as usual.

“The honeymoon is over, Nigerians and stakeholders in construction and electricity sector must imbibe the culture of change in all facets of life and do the needful to avoid sanctions.”

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He listed the defaulting companies in the FCT to include Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, which had many of its feeder pillars dangerously exposed, or its high tension cables too low that it could be touched.

He also listed the CCECC which built its railway line in Kubwa, near 33KV power tension.

Ewezor explained that NEMSA had written to these companies about the dangers these projects posed to human lives, adding that they would still be reminded to rectify these projects.

He reiterated that if the companies fail to amend these defective projects, then NEMSA would visit them with the full weight of the law.

Ewezor enjoined the DISCOS and construction companies operating in Nigeria to institutionalise the ideals of projects monitoring and evaluation in its governance structure in order to ensure effective monitoring of projects.

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