Says metres are not free
Admin l Friday, April 19, 2019
LAGOS, Nigeria – In actualization of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC)’s directive on rollout of metres by May 1, the Chairman, Momas Electricity Metre Manufacturing Company Limited(MEMMCOL), Engr. Kola Balogun has said that indigenous manufactures have commenced massive production of metres to meet the May 1 deadline.
Balogun said the indigenous manufacturers have doubled their production capacity to meet up the May 1 rollout. It would be recalled that on April 5, NERC issued permits to Metre Asset Providers (MAPs) to rollout new meters not later than May 1, 2019.
According to him, manufacturers have concluded to commence three shift production activities to actualise the NERC’s directives on the May 1 deadline.
“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 area of employment capacity, raw materials and effective services to support meeting up the deadline and NERC’s May 1 actualisation.
The Momas boss said that manufactures 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, Balogun said had created more job opportunities for Nigerians.
“We (metres manufacturers) have been able to take youths off the street to start working with us. This would also boost the economy 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. Consumes should look up to the timeline of May 1,’ he said.
Balogun lauded the Minster of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola for the bold step taken to address metering gap and power challenges in the country. He also commended the chairman of NERC and the commissioners for their immense contributions toward the commencement of metres rollout in May 1, adding that it would be a new dawn in the power sector.
The metre manufacturer commended the Federal Government initiative toward ending metering gap in the country and ensuring all electricity consumers within discos are metered to abolish estimated billings. He urged government to support more indigenous metres manufacturing companies to excel, saying that MEMMCOL for example, is an example of the local content policy of the government.
He said, “MEMMCOL is 100 per cent local content, employing young and enterprising Nigerians and equipping them adequately with requisite training locally and internationally.”
Balogun said that MAP initiative would put an end to metering challenges faced by customers, adding that the programme expected to commence officially on May 1, was introduced to ensure that Nigerians only pay for electricity actually consumed.
He said that the MAP regulator rightly knows there is no free metres anywhere but for third party to finance those metres under a term issued by NERC.
