…Applaud Momas Over Metering School Initiative
Yemisi Izuora
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has said the electricity industry is set to close about. 5.046 million metering gap in the next three years, through the Meter Asset Providers, MAP initiative which took off on May 1.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony held at the MOMAS Electricity Meters Manufacturing Company (MEMMCOL) School campus located at the Momas Factory, Orimerunmu, Mowe Ogun State, at the weekend, the Chairman/ Chief Executive of NERC, Prof. James Momoh who was represented by the Deputy General Manager – Consumer Affairs, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Mr. Shittu Shuaib commended the innovative and futuristic foresight of MEMMCOL in setting up the metering school which would provide a pool of well trained professionals for the metering sub-Sector of the power sector.
“Metering is of great concern to the commission and the Federal Government. In the light of this, the commission has instituted measure to accelerate metering through regulatory measures such as MAP regulation of 2018. Data available to the commission indicates that the present metering gap in Nigeria as at April 2019, is about 5,046,906 when compared to total consumer of 8,840,801, representing 57 per cent deficit in metering.
This is a challenge and a marvelous opportunity. It is expected that the present metering gap would be closed within the next three years with the effective implementation of the Discos meter roll out plan under MAP scheme”
He commended MEMMCOL, for its immense contribution to the downstream power sector especially in helping to bridge the metering gap as Momas Metering School held its maiden graduation ceremony for the first set of 38 certified meter installers.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the Chairman, MOMAS Electricity Meters Manufacturing Company (MEMMCOL), Engr. Kola Balogun, said the graduation of the first set of the company’s course 925 meters installation, is an attestation of its commitment to address the challenges confronting manpower deficiencies in the nation’s downstream electricity sector values chains.
“Since inception, Momas as a group has being a major pacesetter in the power industry, not for quest to acquire wealth but to address some of the major obstacles hindering delivery of quality electricity to Nigerians. The school is a reflection of global trend of metering school across the globe such as Texas School of Metering, Indian School of Metering. We make bold to say that we are the only indigenous meter manufacturing company that can boast of 100 per cent local content in the design and manufacturing of our world-class standard electricity meters of various types for the Nigerian market”, he said.
According to Balogun, the curriculum of the training is richly designed to transform the life of the students and at the same time, provides the necessary education for consumers for the sustainability of the sector, the need for consumers not to steal or bypass electricity, providing knowledge of how electricity meters work.
With adequate knowledge of the sector, consumers should realize that its mandatory for them to pay for the energy they used for the sector to be sustainable.
He urged the federal government and its agencies, including the owners of the distribution companies to look into the future of a better electricity distribution companies by supporting MOMAS in all areas that would keep encouraging the organization to do more on research on what is required for the sector to grow.
Balogun listed some of the firsts of the company to include the introduction of prepaid meters as far back as 1997, development of design management application for managing vending of electricity, which was dominated by foreign companies as well as development of made in Nigeria post paid billing application (EMS2000) to replace the foreign ones.
Also speaking at the event, the Acting Registrar of the school, Mr. Paul Akinde admonished the graduating students to be good ambassadors of the institution by carrying out their works in the larger society with high sense of responsibility, dedication and integrity.