Nigerians have been advised to always make use of the services of licensed electrical personnel and electrical contractors to avoid electrical accidents and other related issues. This advice was given on Thursday by the Honourable Minister of Power Chief Adebayo Adelabu in an address he delivered at a two-day Electricity Supply Industry Safety Conference 2024 organized by House of Representatives Committee on Safety Standards and Regulations in collaboration with the Association for Public Policy Analysis in Abuja.

The Minister who was represented at the occasion by Engr. Aliyu Tukur Tahir, FNSE, the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) and Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation (CEIF), said the advice had become necessary in order to avoid frequent electrical accidents and other associated hazards.

According to him, safety is not just a priority; it is a core value adding that all Nigerians must always put the well-being, colleagues, customers, and the community first. The Minister maintained that the industry is governed by strict standards and regulations adding that, Compliance is not optional but mandatory, just as he emphasized that electricity is very useful to human life and is key to the economic development and growth of any nation.

He posited that if the electrical systems are not properly planned, executed, maintained and utilized in line with the standards and extant regulations, a terrible price is paid in terms of injury and equipment damage, downtime among others. According to the Minister of Power, the enforcement of Technical Standards and Regulations, Inspection, Testing and Certification of all categories of electrical

The event was attended by the Deputy Speaker House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, who represented the Speaker, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Chairman Senate Committee on Power, Engr. David Idris Zacharia, Chairman House Committee on Safety Standards and Regulations, other members of the National Assembly, chief executives of agencies under the federal ministry of power and other stakeholders.