By Mercy Aikoye
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Safety Standards and Regulations, Hon. (Dr) Sulaiman Abubakar Gumi, emphasized that safety in the Nigerian electricity sector cannot be compromised.
He made this statement during a briefing to present the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry Safety Conference at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Tuesday.
The Committee plans to collaborate with the Association for Public Policy Analysis and other stakeholders in the Power Sector to organize the conference.
Despite efforts by the Federal Government to address safety issues in the sector, problems still exist, including vandalism, theft, and installation of electricity by non-licensed electrical installers.
Other challenges include the production, marketing, and use of sub-standard electrical materials, which pose significant risks to safety.
The Committee identified the Power Sector as a critical area that requires effective legislative actions to ensure safety standards and regulatory policies are observed.
The Federal Government has made commitments to enhance safety standards and regulations in the electricity sector by establishing laws, regulations, and institutions to coordinate, implement, and enforce these laws.
However, despite these efforts, problems persist, highlighting the need for strengthened compliance and enforcement of laws and policies to enhance safety standards and regulations.
The conference aims to bring together stakeholders to appraise opportunities, prospects, and challenges in the Safety Standards and Regulation segment of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.
The main objective of the conference is to develop an all-inclusive policy document that will strengthen the oversight and investigative responsibilities of the Committee to enhance safe, secured, quality electricity service delivery in the country.
