FG subjects power engineers to new standards, decries rising quackery

The Federal Government, yesterday, in Abuja raised concerns over rising quackery in the electricity sector, stressing that power engineers would now be subjected to new regulations.

Recall that the Federal Fire Service had identified electrical sparks as the major cause of fire incidents across the country, as the agency revealed that as of 2021, 636 fire incidents recorded in the country were caused by electrical discharge, while electrical equipment was responsible for 447 cases.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had similarly reported that from January 2020 and September 2021, at least 156 Nigerians were killed while 87 were injured in electricity-related incidents.

Speaking while inaugurating a new body, the governing council of the Chartered Institute of Power Engineers of Nigeria (CIPEN), speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, said there was a need to sanitise the power sector and safeguard the lives of Nigerians.

Going by the move, the speakers insisted that there would be no hiding place for unlicensed practicing engineers in the country.

Represented by a member of the lower chamber, Sani Umar Bala, Abbas said the institute and its governing council were expected to register power engineers and professionals who are expected to abide by the code of ethics dished out by the institute or be sanctioned.

According to him, the institute will also play a large and effective role in helping to police and issue industry certification to different kinds or levels of practitioners.

He said the institute would also replace the current evidence of non-certified or licensed persons who go about carrying out installations or repairs of any sort in the industry.

Abbas said: “This inauguration is important to the power sector. The institute and its governing council are expected to perform regulatory functions for power engineers. It is expected to register power engineers and professionals who are expected to abide by the code of ethics dished out by the institute or be sanctioned.

“The institute will also police and issue industry certification to different kinds or levels of practitioners. The institute would also replace the current evidence of non-certified or licensed who go about carrying out installations or repairs of any sort in the industry. It will rid the power sector of quacks.”

Speaking to The Guardian, the chairman of CIPEN inauguration committee, William Metieh, said the new institute will sanitize the power sector and will benefit the entire country.

“This inauguration is crucial because it will be beneficial to the entire country because it intends to sanitize the power sector. It will ensure that all skills practiced in the power sector will be regulated. It carries both the regulatory functions and that of an association. It will reduce accidents suffered in the past by the power sector,” he stated.