
OpeOluwani Akintayo
31 August 2018, Sweetcrude, Lagos — Nigeria’s power sector recorded a total of 25 deaths in the third quarter of 2017, statistics released by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, have shown.
According to the commission in its third quarter 2017 report, the 25 deaths were as a result of accidental occurrences recorded in the period under review.
In the third quarter of 2017, the commission said, it received a total of 47 health and safety reports from licensees.
The reports indicated that there were 37 accidents during the period under review.
The accidents resulted in 25 deaths and 15 injuries of various degrees involving both employees of the companies and third parties.
NERC said the frequency of the accidents had led to investigations by it, which resulted in commencement of twelve enforcement actions against the licensees whose negligence was found to have been responsible for or have contributed to the accidents.
“The commission takes safety of all electricity users and all other Nigerians very seriously and it is concerned about the relatively high number of incidences in NESI.
“Thus, the commission has included in its newly-drafted strategic plan, various safety enforcement mechanisms and programmes aiming at tackling recurring accidents in the industry,” NERC said in the report.
Among the safety programmes to be implemented by the commission include the standardisation of protection scheme, engagement of government agencies on right of way violation, increased public enlightenment on safety, and review of operational procedures for Distribution System Operators, DSOs, on fault clearing.