By Fred Nwaozor
The last time I checked, the scheduled Nigeria’s 2019 Presidential polls have eventually come and gone, to the glory of God who made the all-inclusive national ritual possible.
Though the historic and remarkable event had been successfully conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the ripples and mixed feelings created by its outcome still conspicuously linger.
The news is everywhere that Presdient Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was returned elected by the INEC as the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for another period of four years.
In a related development, the news is equally at all corners of the country and beyond that the closest rival to the recognized victor of the poll, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has alongside his party leadership refused to accept the outcome of the keenly contested election, citing irregularities at the polls, despite the strong plea from some quarters to concede defeat in good faith.
According to the aggrieved candidate, he was robbed of his presumed victory, thus vowed to “retrieve the mandate” through the court, which is widely believed to be the “last hope of a common man”.
Naturally, it’s common among the human race that when a victor or the second to none in a certain competition emerges, the second best would invariably feel bitter and may end up putting the blame of his/their failure on the umpire.
Such a feeling is natural, in the sense that nobody or competitor wishes to become a loser at the end of any contest, hence that of the PDP isn’t an exception. It’s indisputable that every participant or contestant in any competition definitely looks forward to grabbing the trophy at the end of the show.
In this case, the PDP who has been publicly declared as the best loser is strongly of the view that it deserved to emerge victoriously or as the winner, at the Presidential poll that was reportedly observed by both local and foreign observers.
It’s not anymore news that the aggrieved party has lawfully approached the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, as was clamoured by its teeming allies as well as followers who share same sentiments with the party’s leadership.
We were equally reliably notified that the plaintiff, who had made a plaintive sound, pleaded with the court for a forensic investigation to be carried out on the sensitive materials used for the said election, in addition to its prayer for the INEC to reverse the declaration in favour of the PDP.
On 6th March 2019, the tribunal consequently rejected the request of the candidate of the PDP, alongside his party, to be allowed to conduct forensic analysis and scanning of the electronic gadgets – such as the computers, card readers and servers, among others – deployed for the conduct of the February 23 Presidential election.
The tribunal declared that such a request was beyond the scope of the provisions of Section 151 (1) and (2) of the Nigeria’s 2010 Electoral Act, as amended, which permits the inspection of election materials coupled with allied documents upon the request of any concerned individual or entity.
In a unanimous ruling on an ex-parte application tendered by the PDP, a 3-man panel of the tribunal stated “Section 151 of the Electoral Act, which allows an intending petitioner to inspect materials used for an election, only allows inspection and obtaining of certified true copies of such materials” and nothing more.
In the lead ruling by Justice Abdul Aboki, who led the panel, the tribunal granted the prayers that allow the applicant the permission to only inspect the materials and obtain their Certified True Copies (CTC). It also granted the applicant’s prayer for leave to be allowed to bring such application at the pre-hearing stage of the tribunal’s sitting.
It reiterated that the request by Atiku and PDP to call experts to engage in forensic analysis and scanning of INEC gadgets, among other materials, was outside the scope of the meaning of inspection under the aforementioned section of the Electoral Act.
It’s noteworthy that the section in question, which talks about inspection of documents, stipulates as follow:
“151 (1) An order for an inspection of a polling document or an inspection of a document or any other packet in the custody of the Chief National Electoral Commissioner or any other officer of the Commission may be made by the election tribunal or the court if it is satisfied that the inspection is required for the purpose of instituting, maintaining or defending an election petition.
“(2) A document other than a document referred to in subsection (1) of this section relating to an election and which is retained by the Chief National Electoral Commissioner or any other officer of the Commission in accordance with this section shall be open for inspection on an order made by the Election Tribunal or a Court in exercise of its powers to compel the production of documents in legal proceedings, but shall not otherwise be open for inspection.”
Since the section is obviously silent regarding forensic inspection or investigation, and doesn’t also stipulate whether only manual pattern should be deployed, it’s therefore the statutory obligation of the court to determine the apt line of action prior to amendments in respect of that.
As I appreciate the tribunal for exercising its lawful duties without bias, it’s equally pertinent for the relevant authorities to henceforth consider some key issues for the sake of effectiveness and efficiency as well as way forward in electoral matters.
As a tech expert and activist, I’ve overtime analyzed and advocated on the need for the Nigeria’s political system to join the rest of others globally as regards technology, particularly matters pertaining to elections.
Nigeria is arguably of age to follow suit concerning the issue at hand. The required brains or hands are readily available to initiate the project. But the acclaimed giant of Africa is unequivocally still lacking the enabling environment to strive.
The fact, irrespective of who is aggrieved or victorious, is that forensic audit or means of inspection into matters of public interest enables apt and timely outcome, and equally saves cost. It’s, therefore, cost and labour effective. It creates room for the needed work to be done with ease or effortlessly.
So, considering electioneering issues, it would be wise and ideal for Nigeria to key into such a tech-driven initiative in order to share the numerous benefits enshrined in it. Involving forensic measures in pre, during and post election matters would undoubtedly write the country’s name in gold in regard to her political system and democracy in general.
In view of this professional counsel, the INEC is expected to hold the bull by the horn with a view to thinking towards making all activities or cases pertaining to elections tech-driven. Four years from now, prior to the next general elections, is enough space and opportunity to plan aptly ahead of the awaited lofty approach.
However, such a measure wouldn’t be effective or lawfully acceptable by the system if the relevant laws aren’t amended to suit the quest. Hence, the lawmakers shouldn’t hesitate in doing the needful without much ado.
The recently reviewed Electoral Act, that’s yet to be assented to by the Presidency, ought to therefore be further reviewed to accommodate all the required parameters regarding forensic measures. The time to act is now. Think about it!
Comrade Nwaozor, a Policy Analyst, Rights Activist
& Tech Expert, is National Coordinator, Right Thinkers Movement
___________________________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com
Monday, 1 April 2019
Tech I As Buhari Reemerges, Tech-Driven Projects Continue
By Fred Nwaozor
Unfavourable suspense and intrigues ostensibly heralded the conduct of the Nigeria’s 2019 Presidential and National Assembly (NASS) elections. It suffices to assert that the circumstance that lately led to the exercise instilled perturbed mood in Nigerians.
The national ritual, which was initially billed for 16th February 2019, was eventually unannounced postponed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), hence rescheduled to hold the following Saturday.
It’s not anymore news that the elections were consequently successfully conducted on 23rd February 2019 across the nooks and crannies of the Nigerian State. The event conspicuously witnessed the presence of both foreign and local observers.
It’s equally no longer news that the victor as regards the just concluded Presidential polls has finally emerged as was graciously and publicly declared by the INEC in the early hours of Wednesday, 27th February 2019 via its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
The current President of the country, Muhammadu Buhari who keenly contested under the auspices of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), was announced as the winner of the election at about 4am on the said date.
President Buhari, who reportedly polled a total votes of 15,191,847 to defeat his closest rival Alhaji Atiku who garnered a total votes of 11,262,978, had elatedly appreciated the teeming Nigerians for finding his candidature worthy to be returned reelected as the next democratically-elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It’s worth noting that the Certificate of Return had since 2pm on the very day of the declaration been handed over to the victor alongside his vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo by the INEC boss. Since then, it has been jubilation galore in some quarters as other Nigerians contrarily showcase their grievances over the outcome.
Whatever the case might be, the fact remains that the citizenry are at the moment filled with mixed feeling as regards the impending second term reign of President Buhari. Such a feeling has been a natural phenomenon among the human race whenever something is being awaited.
Many who have candidly wished the current administration well and currently celebrating over the recent victory are apparently jittery in regard to how the incoming reign of Buhari/Osinbajo would look like.
Some discerning mindsets are no doubt deeply yearning for continuity concerning some ongoing projects of the Buhari-led government across the federation. This set of individuals cannot wait to embrace the finishing stage of these capital intensive projects.
It’s understandable that government is a continuum, meaning literally that whosoever or whatever team/party that succeeds the other is expected to continue from where their predecessor stopped. But in Nigeria, the case has overtime been different; successive governments don’t usually have the interest to continue from where the previous one(s) stopped.
In view of the above, as President Buhari reemerges victoriously for a second term in office come 29th May 2019, well meaning and patriotic Nigerians – both home and abroad – are of the view that definitely the various ongoing projects in the country would get to completion.
As rational citizens of the country clamour for continuity of these ongoing projects, particularly the economically-oriented ones, I’m more concerned about the tech-driven initiatives coupled with the related ones yet to be initiated by the Federal Government (FG).
It’s only a non-Nigerian that’s not yet informed that construction of numerous roads, cutting across all the six geo-political zones in the country, has been duly approved and the required funds have already been released for the projects by the FG.
On the wake of 2019, the FG graciously released the sum of N100bn from the proceeds of the Sovereign Sukuk Fund for immediate construction of 28 federal roads within the shores of the federation as was captured in the 2018 budget. And in his words, the Minister of Works Mr. Babatunde Fashola who received the fund, assured that the approved projects would commence immediately on the affected roads.
As he stated that “time has gone when contractors go to sleep when they are contracted to initiate and complete a certain contract”, I earnestly look forward to seeing an era when Nigerians in their number would release a sigh of relief regarding the current ugly state of the federal roads in their respective jurisdictions.
We are equally not unaware that a tremendous railway project is ongoing across the Nigerian State. It’s worthy of note that if duly completed, this very tech-driven project would go a long way in cushioning the excruciating effects of conveying bulk goods from one locality to another within the country.
Aside its anticipated impact on the area of transportation of commodities, it will also help enormously to supplement the functions of other transport systems – such as road, water and air – as regards the human race.
Hence, it is the wish and prayer of virtually all citizens of Nigeria that the political will that instigated the commencement of the railway project should endeavour to facilitate its apt and timely completion without much ado.
Inter alia, we are equally informed that the rehabilitation of the second Niger Bridge is already ongoing. Nigerians were reliably notified by the FG that a total sum of N302bn has been budgeted towards the reconstruction of the said remarkable edifice. We are appealing that politics shouldn’t be played with this very economically-oriented project.
In the same vein, it’s high time the River Niger is properly dredged by the FG, as it’s being agitated by the people, towards aiding economic activities. A seaport ought to also be created therein to boost importation of goods and services within the region.
Lest I forget; in the spirit of eventually completing the Nnamdi Azikiwe (Zik) mausoleum situated in Onitsha that was abandoned by previous governments for almost thirty years, the citizenry are equally awaiting a holistic clean-up of the ancient Ogoni land – that has been ignored for donkey’s years by past administrations – as earlier proposed by the Buhari-led government.
It’s very crucial to counsel Mr. President that new bloods are required to be introduced into his administration whenever its second term commences with a view to ensuring that more wholesome tech-driven projects are initiated into the system for the good of all. Issues such as power supply, or what have you, can only be aptly addressed if the right hands or cognoscenti are engaged.
Towards ushering in an all-inclusive government as already promised by President Buhari come his second term, he shouldn’t be reminded that Nigerians are expecting these ongoing projects, and the ones yet to be initiated, to come to completion soonest.
So, as we collectively congratulate Mr. President for reemerging victoriously at the polls, it’s imperative to notify him that Nigerians as a people cannot wait for the apt and timely completion of these numerous ongoing projects.
It’s noteworthy that the people’s expectations can only be fulfilled if the incoming administration firmly sticks to the political will that instigated the commencement of the aforementioned initiatives. Think about it!
Comrade Fred Nwaozor, is National Coordinator,
Right Thinkers Movement
___________________________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com
Unfavourable suspense and intrigues ostensibly heralded the conduct of the Nigeria’s 2019 Presidential and National Assembly (NASS) elections. It suffices to assert that the circumstance that lately led to the exercise instilled perturbed mood in Nigerians.
The national ritual, which was initially billed for 16th February 2019, was eventually unannounced postponed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), hence rescheduled to hold the following Saturday.
It’s not anymore news that the elections were consequently successfully conducted on 23rd February 2019 across the nooks and crannies of the Nigerian State. The event conspicuously witnessed the presence of both foreign and local observers.
It’s equally no longer news that the victor as regards the just concluded Presidential polls has finally emerged as was graciously and publicly declared by the INEC in the early hours of Wednesday, 27th February 2019 via its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
The current President of the country, Muhammadu Buhari who keenly contested under the auspices of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), was announced as the winner of the election at about 4am on the said date.
President Buhari, who reportedly polled a total votes of 15,191,847 to defeat his closest rival Alhaji Atiku who garnered a total votes of 11,262,978, had elatedly appreciated the teeming Nigerians for finding his candidature worthy to be returned reelected as the next democratically-elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It’s worth noting that the Certificate of Return had since 2pm on the very day of the declaration been handed over to the victor alongside his vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo by the INEC boss. Since then, it has been jubilation galore in some quarters as other Nigerians contrarily showcase their grievances over the outcome.
Whatever the case might be, the fact remains that the citizenry are at the moment filled with mixed feeling as regards the impending second term reign of President Buhari. Such a feeling has been a natural phenomenon among the human race whenever something is being awaited.
Many who have candidly wished the current administration well and currently celebrating over the recent victory are apparently jittery in regard to how the incoming reign of Buhari/Osinbajo would look like.
Some discerning mindsets are no doubt deeply yearning for continuity concerning some ongoing projects of the Buhari-led government across the federation. This set of individuals cannot wait to embrace the finishing stage of these capital intensive projects.
It’s understandable that government is a continuum, meaning literally that whosoever or whatever team/party that succeeds the other is expected to continue from where their predecessor stopped. But in Nigeria, the case has overtime been different; successive governments don’t usually have the interest to continue from where the previous one(s) stopped.
In view of the above, as President Buhari reemerges victoriously for a second term in office come 29th May 2019, well meaning and patriotic Nigerians – both home and abroad – are of the view that definitely the various ongoing projects in the country would get to completion.
As rational citizens of the country clamour for continuity of these ongoing projects, particularly the economically-oriented ones, I’m more concerned about the tech-driven initiatives coupled with the related ones yet to be initiated by the Federal Government (FG).
It’s only a non-Nigerian that’s not yet informed that construction of numerous roads, cutting across all the six geo-political zones in the country, has been duly approved and the required funds have already been released for the projects by the FG.
On the wake of 2019, the FG graciously released the sum of N100bn from the proceeds of the Sovereign Sukuk Fund for immediate construction of 28 federal roads within the shores of the federation as was captured in the 2018 budget. And in his words, the Minister of Works Mr. Babatunde Fashola who received the fund, assured that the approved projects would commence immediately on the affected roads.
As he stated that “time has gone when contractors go to sleep when they are contracted to initiate and complete a certain contract”, I earnestly look forward to seeing an era when Nigerians in their number would release a sigh of relief regarding the current ugly state of the federal roads in their respective jurisdictions.
We are equally not unaware that a tremendous railway project is ongoing across the Nigerian State. It’s worthy of note that if duly completed, this very tech-driven project would go a long way in cushioning the excruciating effects of conveying bulk goods from one locality to another within the country.
Aside its anticipated impact on the area of transportation of commodities, it will also help enormously to supplement the functions of other transport systems – such as road, water and air – as regards the human race.
Hence, it is the wish and prayer of virtually all citizens of Nigeria that the political will that instigated the commencement of the railway project should endeavour to facilitate its apt and timely completion without much ado.
Inter alia, we are equally informed that the rehabilitation of the second Niger Bridge is already ongoing. Nigerians were reliably notified by the FG that a total sum of N302bn has been budgeted towards the reconstruction of the said remarkable edifice. We are appealing that politics shouldn’t be played with this very economically-oriented project.
In the same vein, it’s high time the River Niger is properly dredged by the FG, as it’s being agitated by the people, towards aiding economic activities. A seaport ought to also be created therein to boost importation of goods and services within the region.
Lest I forget; in the spirit of eventually completing the Nnamdi Azikiwe (Zik) mausoleum situated in Onitsha that was abandoned by previous governments for almost thirty years, the citizenry are equally awaiting a holistic clean-up of the ancient Ogoni land – that has been ignored for donkey’s years by past administrations – as earlier proposed by the Buhari-led government.
It’s very crucial to counsel Mr. President that new bloods are required to be introduced into his administration whenever its second term commences with a view to ensuring that more wholesome tech-driven projects are initiated into the system for the good of all. Issues such as power supply, or what have you, can only be aptly addressed if the right hands or cognoscenti are engaged.
Towards ushering in an all-inclusive government as already promised by President Buhari come his second term, he shouldn’t be reminded that Nigerians are expecting these ongoing projects, and the ones yet to be initiated, to come to completion soonest.
So, as we collectively congratulate Mr. President for reemerging victoriously at the polls, it’s imperative to notify him that Nigerians as a people cannot wait for the apt and timely completion of these numerous ongoing projects.
It’s noteworthy that the people’s expectations can only be fulfilled if the incoming administration firmly sticks to the political will that instigated the commencement of the aforementioned initiatives. Think about it!
Comrade Fred Nwaozor, is National Coordinator,
Right Thinkers Movement
___________________________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com
Tech I NEMSA And the Commissioned Electricity Lab
By Fred Nwaozor
Is there anyone who’s domiciled in Nigeria that’s yet to realize what the country has overtime been passing through as regards electricity supply? The apt respond to the candid enquiry ought to be ‘No’.
It’s not anymore news that Nigerians in their entirety have hitherto been experiencing untold hardship when it calls for electricity across the nooks and crannies of the acclaimed giant of Africa.
Aside the fact that the Nigerian State cannot boast of a steady power supply, it’s noteworthy that even the available one is densely characterized by myriad of irregularities alongside poor service delivery by the authorities in charge of the said public utility.
This could be one of the reasons that resulted in the emergence of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), the government authority that sees to the day-to-day standardization of power supply and other related technical issues across the federation.
NEMSA was established to carry out the functions of enforcement of technical standards and regulations, inspection, testing and certification of all categories of electrical installations, meters and instruments, to ensure efficient production cum delivery of safe, reliable and sustainable power supply as well as guarantee safety of lives and property in the Nigerian electricity supply industry coupled with allied matters.
The regular supply of power in any locality around the globe is characterized by three major segments, namely: generation, transmission and distribution. In each of these segments, it’s worth noting that different gadgets or machines are being utilized towards enabling effective and efficient services.
To guarantee apt functionality of these technical materials, an electricity laboratory, or otherwise known as ‘electricity lab’, is needed in the process by the relevant authorities. It’s the said lab that would assure the genuineness and adequacy of the gadgets before they are duly installed in the localities where they are required.
Similarly, whenever any of the instruments broke down or malfunctioned, the same lab is still being used to run some needed tests, or technical diagnoses, to ascertain what is/are actually wrong with them as well as map out strategies on how best the anomalies could be addressed. After the needed ‘diagnosis’, and due corrections afterwards, the equipment would further be installed for onward usage.
It was perhaps the keen quest for such a well-equipped testing unit that informed the practical gesture displayed by NEMSA penultimate month. In the aforementioned period, precisely on 25th January 2019, the agency graciously commissioned an electricity lab in Ijora, Lagos State to aid further testing cum confirmation of the commercial viability of these gadgets used by Generating Companies (GenCos), Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Distribution Companies (DisCos), virtually on a daily basis.
Commissioning of the upgraded ‘Chemical and Engineering Laboratory’ received tremendous accolades from numerous stakeholders in the power sector, particularly the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola who was physically present at the epochal occasion.
In his words, Mr. Fashola who commended the leadership of the NEMSA for adhering to safety compliance and enhancing the growth of the industry, elatedly stated “This is now an upgraded and properly fitted laboratory to help the agency in enforcing compliance in the power sector. This will also make them do their jobs effectively now that they have tools. We hope there will be improvement in all the operators’ compliance conducts”.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of the NEMSA Mr. Peter Ewesor proudly disclosed that the remodelling of the lab would help the agency to curb substandard equipment in the power sector.
He said “The facility is a specialized analytical laboratory for inspection, sampling, testing and analysis services for transformer insulating and lubricating oils. Others include greases of various grades, turbine oil, and hydraulic oil, used in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) and allied industries as well as potable and effluent water resources.”
Mr. Ewesor, who is a chartered engineer, further revealed “This laboratory has been operating as a reference quality control laboratory for the entire power industry since the era of the defunct NEPA and PHCN, and now in the post-privatization era when NEMSA took it over in a dilapidated state in 2014. NEMSA, in realization of its key role in furthering its mandate as enshrined in NEMSA Act-2015, embarked on the upgrading and remodelling of the laboratory to provide accurate tests and analyses.”
He added that the electricity lab was equipped with a wide range of world-class test equipment, instruments and devices, including Dissolved Gas Analyzer (DGA) – a diagnostic machine. According to him, it equally contains equipment for detecting, indentifying and evaluating incipient faults within transformers and reactors, such as Dielectric Strength Tester (DST) to determine oil viscosity.
NEMSA may have done novel by thinking it wise to come up with this milestone, but I’m bothered over a certain cankerworm that has overtime bedevilled the Nigeria’s system, which remains sustainability syndrome. The country’s sustenance culture has colossally deteriorated that it has eaten deep into her blood stream.
It’s on this premise I urge the leadership of the NEMSA to ensure that this electricity lab is secured and safeguarded at all cost, so that, it would thoroughly succeed in actualizing the core motives for which it was established or upgraded.
Hence, the authority must, therefore, be prepared to fish out saboteurs in their midst. It has been proven that in any clime or entity, there must be a Judas, thus the NEMSA wouldn’t be an exception. The unpatriotic Nigerians or unscrupulous elements found in the agency need to be shown the way out without much ado if its management is truly ready to soar beyond expectations.
Inter alia, as concerned authorities strive towards improving power supply across the federation, the NEMSA alongside the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), needs to became more proactive in their day-to-day bid to monitor the activities of the GenCos, TCN and DisCos by respectively setting up various mobile technical teams.
So, as we celebrate the emergence of this milestone, let’s not forget that the teeming Nigerians are variously suffering from an untold hardship in the hands of these stakeholders that are meant to serve and protect them. Think about it!
How Do You Rate The Card Readers?
The long awaited Presidential and National Assembly elections were eventually conducted across the Nigerian State on 23rd February 2019. As a tech expert, whenever such a national ritual is being carried out, my optimum interest invariably lies in the tech-driven processes involved.
It’s not anymore news that the electronic Smart Card Readers were utilized in the exercise. In my area, what I witnessed indicates that the said device performed as expected. However, some reports I received from other quarters informed that the gadgets malfunctioned.
At this point, prior to the impending gubernatorial and States’ Houses of Assembly polls, I suggest the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should go back to the drawing board towards ascertaining the variety of technical hitches encountered with a view to forestalling its repeat. This must be handled with all manners of seriousness and rigorosity. Think about it!
Comrade Nwaozor, is National Coordinator,
Right Thinkers Movement
______________________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com
Is there anyone who’s domiciled in Nigeria that’s yet to realize what the country has overtime been passing through as regards electricity supply? The apt respond to the candid enquiry ought to be ‘No’.
It’s not anymore news that Nigerians in their entirety have hitherto been experiencing untold hardship when it calls for electricity across the nooks and crannies of the acclaimed giant of Africa.
Aside the fact that the Nigerian State cannot boast of a steady power supply, it’s noteworthy that even the available one is densely characterized by myriad of irregularities alongside poor service delivery by the authorities in charge of the said public utility.
This could be one of the reasons that resulted in the emergence of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), the government authority that sees to the day-to-day standardization of power supply and other related technical issues across the federation.
NEMSA was established to carry out the functions of enforcement of technical standards and regulations, inspection, testing and certification of all categories of electrical installations, meters and instruments, to ensure efficient production cum delivery of safe, reliable and sustainable power supply as well as guarantee safety of lives and property in the Nigerian electricity supply industry coupled with allied matters.
The regular supply of power in any locality around the globe is characterized by three major segments, namely: generation, transmission and distribution. In each of these segments, it’s worth noting that different gadgets or machines are being utilized towards enabling effective and efficient services.
To guarantee apt functionality of these technical materials, an electricity laboratory, or otherwise known as ‘electricity lab’, is needed in the process by the relevant authorities. It’s the said lab that would assure the genuineness and adequacy of the gadgets before they are duly installed in the localities where they are required.
Similarly, whenever any of the instruments broke down or malfunctioned, the same lab is still being used to run some needed tests, or technical diagnoses, to ascertain what is/are actually wrong with them as well as map out strategies on how best the anomalies could be addressed. After the needed ‘diagnosis’, and due corrections afterwards, the equipment would further be installed for onward usage.
It was perhaps the keen quest for such a well-equipped testing unit that informed the practical gesture displayed by NEMSA penultimate month. In the aforementioned period, precisely on 25th January 2019, the agency graciously commissioned an electricity lab in Ijora, Lagos State to aid further testing cum confirmation of the commercial viability of these gadgets used by Generating Companies (GenCos), Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Distribution Companies (DisCos), virtually on a daily basis.
Commissioning of the upgraded ‘Chemical and Engineering Laboratory’ received tremendous accolades from numerous stakeholders in the power sector, particularly the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola who was physically present at the epochal occasion.
In his words, Mr. Fashola who commended the leadership of the NEMSA for adhering to safety compliance and enhancing the growth of the industry, elatedly stated “This is now an upgraded and properly fitted laboratory to help the agency in enforcing compliance in the power sector. This will also make them do their jobs effectively now that they have tools. We hope there will be improvement in all the operators’ compliance conducts”.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of the NEMSA Mr. Peter Ewesor proudly disclosed that the remodelling of the lab would help the agency to curb substandard equipment in the power sector.
He said “The facility is a specialized analytical laboratory for inspection, sampling, testing and analysis services for transformer insulating and lubricating oils. Others include greases of various grades, turbine oil, and hydraulic oil, used in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) and allied industries as well as potable and effluent water resources.”
Mr. Ewesor, who is a chartered engineer, further revealed “This laboratory has been operating as a reference quality control laboratory for the entire power industry since the era of the defunct NEPA and PHCN, and now in the post-privatization era when NEMSA took it over in a dilapidated state in 2014. NEMSA, in realization of its key role in furthering its mandate as enshrined in NEMSA Act-2015, embarked on the upgrading and remodelling of the laboratory to provide accurate tests and analyses.”
He added that the electricity lab was equipped with a wide range of world-class test equipment, instruments and devices, including Dissolved Gas Analyzer (DGA) – a diagnostic machine. According to him, it equally contains equipment for detecting, indentifying and evaluating incipient faults within transformers and reactors, such as Dielectric Strength Tester (DST) to determine oil viscosity.
NEMSA may have done novel by thinking it wise to come up with this milestone, but I’m bothered over a certain cankerworm that has overtime bedevilled the Nigeria’s system, which remains sustainability syndrome. The country’s sustenance culture has colossally deteriorated that it has eaten deep into her blood stream.
It’s on this premise I urge the leadership of the NEMSA to ensure that this electricity lab is secured and safeguarded at all cost, so that, it would thoroughly succeed in actualizing the core motives for which it was established or upgraded.
Hence, the authority must, therefore, be prepared to fish out saboteurs in their midst. It has been proven that in any clime or entity, there must be a Judas, thus the NEMSA wouldn’t be an exception. The unpatriotic Nigerians or unscrupulous elements found in the agency need to be shown the way out without much ado if its management is truly ready to soar beyond expectations.
Inter alia, as concerned authorities strive towards improving power supply across the federation, the NEMSA alongside the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), needs to became more proactive in their day-to-day bid to monitor the activities of the GenCos, TCN and DisCos by respectively setting up various mobile technical teams.
So, as we celebrate the emergence of this milestone, let’s not forget that the teeming Nigerians are variously suffering from an untold hardship in the hands of these stakeholders that are meant to serve and protect them. Think about it!
How Do You Rate The Card Readers?
The long awaited Presidential and National Assembly elections were eventually conducted across the Nigerian State on 23rd February 2019. As a tech expert, whenever such a national ritual is being carried out, my optimum interest invariably lies in the tech-driven processes involved.
It’s not anymore news that the electronic Smart Card Readers were utilized in the exercise. In my area, what I witnessed indicates that the said device performed as expected. However, some reports I received from other quarters informed that the gadgets malfunctioned.
At this point, prior to the impending gubernatorial and States’ Houses of Assembly polls, I suggest the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should go back to the drawing board towards ascertaining the variety of technical hitches encountered with a view to forestalling its repeat. This must be handled with all manners of seriousness and rigorosity. Think about it!
Comrade Nwaozor, is National Coordinator,
Right Thinkers Movement
______________________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com
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