The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) on Thursday 24th August 2017, commissioned its Owerri Zonal Inspectorate Field Office. The newly commissioned zonal office will increase the total number of field offices from 16 to 17 to ensure efficient delivery of safe, reliable and sustainable electricity power supply.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by Rt. Hon Acho Ihim, the Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly who represented the Governor of Imo State His Excellency Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha; The Chairman Senate Committee on Power, Steel and Metallurgy, Senator Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe; Special Adviser on SMEs to the Governor of Imo State, Hon Emma Ojiwere; members of the Imo and Abia States Houses of Assembly; Mr. Francis Iwu rep. the MD of Enugu Disco; Engr. Chukwu Ohiji PHED; Abba Aliyu GM Projects NBET; Mr. Patrick Uba from REA; James Odey rep. the MD of NDPHC; HRH Eze Agumanu 1V Ede II of Nekede; Assistant commissioner of police Abia state Azuka Jude; CSP Ndabula Francis from the Imo state police; Pastor Iwuchukwu rep the MD of NOA; Engr. Mrs. Echebiri Comfort Imo State Coordinator of SON; LECAN president Otumba Chief Dele Akintola; Stakeholders in the power industry and a host of other dignitaries.
The MD/CEO NEMSA, Engr. Peter Ewesor the Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation in his welcome address noted that the creation of an office in Imo State was pertinent at this time to bring important technical services closer to the people as timing in this regard is of essence. The new Owerri office has been created out of the Enugu Field Inspectorate office which was the only one serving the whole south –east before now.
In his goodwill message, the Speaker Rt. Hon Acho Ihim said the inspectorate field office in Owerri which is to cover Imo and Abia States was a welcome development which will curb the many electrical accidents to its barest minimum. In his capacity as the speaker of the house of assembly, he promised to create a committee that will work with NEMSA to ensure its success in Imo State.
The Senate committee chairman on Power, steel development and metallurgy, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe said NEMSA has been put in place by law to ensure all electrical installations are duly certified and as such opening of an office in Imo to cover Abia State as well where industrialization is at its peak, will help curb electrical accidents. He, however observed that, Abia, Anambra will also need offices of their own as these were states with large number of industries within them.
The facility where NEMSA office is located today in Owerri was in a state of total disrepair for years before it was handed over to NEMSA. It was completely rebuilt in line with the change agenda and infrastructural development programme of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. The office is manned by qualified and competent electrical engineers and technologists, while the NEMSA office in Enugu will now cover Anambra, Ebony and Enugu states.