Group Calls for Reinstatement of SON at Seaports, Others

Juliet Akoje

Experts in the power sector in Nigeria under the aegis of Licenced Electrical Contractors Association of Nigeria (LECAN) have called on the federal government to reinstate the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) at seaports and entry points in the country.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja yesterday, LECAN President, Dr. John Ekere Etim blamed the federal government for excluding SON which he said was constitutionally saddled with the responsibility of certification of the equipment from the seaports.

“In electricity, if you use substandard materials definitely it will backfire, so if you use quality materials it will last, the same thing with all the equipment.

“But in Nigeria you find that some traders who go abroad to buy materials are also a problem because some are fake. So some people will go to buy because they want to also maximise profits. So they go and buy the substandard ones and that is why we are still having the problems.

“But how do these substandard products come in? They don’t just drop from the air? It passes through our seaports; we have our Customs there. I don’t know the politics that is happening at the seaports because SON supposed to be at the seaport and the entry points; NAFDAC is supposed to be at the entry point where these things come in.

“But we find that those people are no more there, they have been removed. It’s only Customs that are there at the seaports and they are supposed to inspect and call SON to inspect but you find a lot of poor quality materials coming into the country every time. So those things are also affecting the system,” the LECAN President noted.

Etim while responding to questions from journalists applauded the House of Representatives’ resolution to investigate incidences of deaths and accidents caused by the negligence of electrical safety in the distribution network around the country as well as safety measures including the existence and role of the safety departments of all the distribution companies (DISCOs).

The lawmakers during the debate on the motion on the ‘Need to ensure safety in the electricity distribution network,’ sponsored by Hon. Sani Bala, had expressed reservation over the capacity of Nigeria Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) to adequately carry out its mandate of policing electricity safety in the distribution network, as well as, the overall effectiveness of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, given the vast investment in the power sector.

Bala had said a report issued by Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in the last quarter of 2018 indicated that, there were 136,393 complaints from customers about the negligence of the Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) which had jumped to 151,938 in the first quarter of 2019.

Etim who decried the complacency by the regulatory agencies towards ensuring compliance with extant regulatory framework in the industry, argued that the distribution network had become a dumping ground for unsafe electrical installation because of NEMSA “negligence to ensure safety of electricity.”