EMEKA OKOROANYANWU
Indigenous electricity metre producers have concluded plans to produce 70,000 electricity metres monthly in order to meet up with the May 1, 2019 rollout deadline given to them by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
Chairman of Momas Electricity Metre Manufacturing Company Limited, Mr Kola Balogun who disclosed this in Lagos, said that indigenous metre manufacturers have started massive production of metres.
NERC had issued permits to Metre Asset Providers (MAPs) to roll out new metres, not later than May 1, 2019.
According to Balogun, manufacturers have also concluded arrangements to commence three shift production activities to actualise the NERC’s directives in meeting the May 1 deadline.
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Speaking to NAN, Balogun said, “We will be producing a minimum of about 70,000 meters monthly on three shift production operations to support the May 1 actualisation.
“Manufacturers have taken bold steps to double production capacity in areas of employment capacity, raw materials and effective services to meet NERC’s May 1,” he said.
The Momas boss said that manufacturers had commenced recruitment of more personnel to fill in for the three shifts, to be able to work round the clock to meet up the metering gap.
The decision, Mr Balogun said, had created more job opportunities for Nigerians.
“We (meter manufacturers) have been able to take youths off the streets to start working with us. This will also boost the economic growth of the country.
“It will also reduce the congestion of human capital at the labour market.
“I want to assure electricity consumers that, the May 1 rollout of metering is visible and achievable. Consumers should look up to the timeline of May 1.”
Mr Balogun lauded the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, for the bold step he took in addressing the metering gap and power challenges in the country.
He also commended the chairman of the NERC and its commissioners for their immense contributions toward the commencement of metre rollout on May 1.
According to him, closing the metering gap will be a new dawn in the power sector.
“Metre manufacturers commended the Federal Government initiative toward ending metering gap in the country and ensuring all electricity consumers within discos were metered to abolish estimated billings.”
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Balogun, however, urged the government to support more indigenous metre manufacturing companies to excel, saying that MEMMCOL, for example, was an example of the local content policy of the government.
“MEMMCOL is 100 per cent local content, employing young and enterprising Nigerians and equipping them adequately with requisite training locally and internationally.”
Mr Balogun said that bridging the gap in metering in the country would put an end to metering challenges faced by customers.
He expressed delight that MAP programme was introduced to ensure that consumers only paid for the electricity they actually consumed.
Mr Balogun said that MAP regulator rightly knew there were no free meters and, however, provided for a third party to finance those metres for the acquisition of such asset under terms issued by NERC.