Lagos -Experts in power sector on Monday urged the Federal Government to introduce stiffer measures to check the influx of substandard electrical equipment in the country.
They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that such measures would deter people involved in the business and reduce its influx.
Mr Gracious Omatseye, former Chairman, Nigerian Institution for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (NIEEE), said that most of the transformers, wire and cables were not up to the standard required.
Omatseye said that such substandard equipment had caused a lot of human and domestic damage when they exploded.
He said that all regulators in power sector should be up in their games to ensure that all fake electrical equipment were flushed out of the system.
The chairman said that government should introduce more measures to make it impossible to import or manufacture such products in the country.
Mr Felix Ofulue, Head, Corporate Communications, Ikeja Electric (IE), urged government to set up quality control standard in line with global best practices.
Ofulue said that processes must be put in place by government to ascertain the quality of the products either manufactured or imported.
He said that any of the products that failed the quality assurance test should be seized and those involved penalised.
Mr Yemi Kolawole, Managing Director, Topean Energy Solution Plc., urged government to ensure effective and efficient enforcement of existing laws.
“I believe the best answer is effective and efficient enforcement of existing laws. We have more than enough laws in our statue books to effectively address this menace, ‘’he said.
Mr Bayo Akinlade, a legal practitioner, said that Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) should work in synergy to stop the influx.
“It is not really a matter of law but the enforcement of it.
“It boils down to corruption starting from the point of entry up to the certification, fabrication and distribution of the products across the country.
“We have regulatory bodies that are dormant and largely inefficient and corrupt.
“We need new hands. Government needs to overhaul its employees, employ younger minds, and encourage industries by attracting investments.
“Government should set up manufacturing and assembly plants and create an environment for international brands to come and manufacture or assemble their products here,” he said. (NAN)