Institution warns against use of substandard electrical materials
Materials
By Monday Ijeh
Abuja, Aug. 2, 2016 (NAN) Mr Felix Olu, the Chairman, Abuja Chapter of the Nigerian Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (NIEEE), has warned against the use of substandard electrical materials in homes and offices.
Olu gave the warning on Thursday in Abuja at the 2018 Electrical, Electronic and Communication Engineers Summit with the theme, “Electrical Safety in Today’s Technology Environment’’.
He said that the summit was organised to brainstorm on how to ensure safety in the use of electricity, considering the huge resources being invested in the sector by the Federal Government.
The chairman said the warning concerning materials was to reduce the incidence of fire outbreak in homes and offices across the country, as electrical safety is a collective responsibility.
According to him, the use of sub-standard cables and other electrical materials has been discovered as the major cause of fire outbreaks in the country.
“One problem we see is that everybody wants to give excuses that the economy is not good, so when they go to the market, they buy the most affordable cables.
“But I tell you the truth; the most affordable cables are the most dangerous cables, so I want the public to be aware that whenever they want to embark on projects, they should seek advice from experts.
“There are a lot of quacks there who claim to be engineers, but we have a responsibility to educate the public that an engineer that is not registered is not an expert,” he said.
The chairman said efforts were being made by the Abuja chapter of NIEEE to partner with the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) to ensure that electricity distribution in FCT was safe.
He said NIEEE would also partner with electricity consumers to ensure that their grievances are channeled to AEDC to ensure safe electricity supply.
Earlier, Mr John Funso-Adebayo, national chairman, NIEEE stressed the need for all hands to be on deck to address the issue of electrical safety in the country.
He said that the summit was for stakeholders in the sector to come with ideas on how to enhance safety in the use of electrical appliances.
Funso-Adebayo called on electricity consumers to ensure that their appliances are switched off when not in use.
He said that the summit would also brainstorm on the use of smart devices to prevent electrical shock. (NAN)
IMC/MUYI/SOA
============
Edited by Muhyideen Jimoh/Oluwole Sogunle