FG: Inferior Transformers, Meters Imported Into Nigeria

The Federal Government said it was worrisome to note that substandard power equipment like transformers and meters were being imported into Nigeria despite the presence of regulators at the ports.

It, therefore, called for an increased presence of sector-specific regulators to help check the inflow of fake electrical equipment in order to save lives and property, as well as improve the output from the nation’s power sector.

The Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Mustapha Shehuri, disclosed this in Abuja at the official presentation of the conditions of service of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency and the inauguration of NEMSA’s security surveillance equipment.

He said, “Today, if you see the quality of the products we use, either as electrical appliances in our homes or others, they are far below standard. We are not only talking of meters, but we are also talking of transformers that are used by Discos, as well as transformers used by the TCN (Transmission Company of Nigeria) in the transmission sector.

“So, I see a situation where NEMSA ought to have an office at the ports to help reduce the inflow of such substandard equipment.”

On security surveillance equipment, he said the facility would enable the agency’s management at the headquarters to monitor in real-time the day-to-day operations and activities in its three national meter test stations located in Lagos, Kaduna and Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Corroborating what the minister said as regards substandard electrical equipment, the Managing Director, NEMSA, Peter Ewesor, told journalists on the sidelines of the event that the development had contributed to making the country’s power network unstable.

He said, “We discovered that our networks these days are no longer stable. And they are not stable because they were not constructed well. People construct network today and you see the facilities becoming fast older than what was properly built years back and this is actually affecting the quality and delivery of power supply to Nigerians.”

Ewesor also noted that the surveillance system that was inaugurated by the minister would boost the monitoring of power equipment assets in the identified locations, adding that the system had inbuilt storage data recording memory and provides multiple operational functions.

“These functions include real-time tracking, live viewing, video playback, download, alarm viewing and query logs for future retrieval and use. The surveillance equipment will enhance security and monitoring of NEMSA’s power infrastructure in our widespread facilities nationwide remotely at the headquarters in Abuja,” he added.

Source: Punch