Safety expert advocates for power sector reform

The Nigerian Chapter of American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE-NC), yesterday, ad- vised the Federal Govern- ment to reform the power sector to ensure sustainable power supply in the country.

Kamil Abiodun, presi- dent of the association, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that certain frame- works should be established to ensure safe and steady power supply in the country.

Abiodun, an occupation- al health and safety expert, said there were associated risks inherent in providing steady power supply in the country due to substandard electrical fittings in many homes.

He recommended that power distribution com- panies should revert to the practice of deploying their personnel to assess electrical installations at homes and offices, saying “the power industry should return to the colonial era when electrical installations were inspected to ensure compliance with standards before power was supplied.

“Even before meters are installed in homes, offi- cials of power distribution companies need to inspect the quality of the wiring to ensure they meet stan- dard. They are also to main- tain routine check for any changes or modulation in a building.

“These are part of control measures to check fire in- cidence in some buildings due to usage of substandard electrical wiring products.”

Abiodun urged the Stan- dards Organisation of Nige- ria (SON) and the Nigeria Customs Service to ensure substandard electrical ca- bles and appliances did not find their way into the country, noting that “if any substandard goods find their way into the country under their collective watch, the directors of SON and comp- troller of Customs should be held liable.

“This will ensure the se- curity of government’s in- vestment in the power sector and safety of lives.”

According to him, aware- ness and enlightenment should be made on the im- portance of using only certi- fied professional technicians for all electrical fittings.

“With all these measures in place, the sustainable power supply promised by government to us for comfort will not become a hazard,” he said.

The safety expert urged the government to collabo- rate with relevant safety pro- fessionals for advice to sup- port its plan for the power sector.