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NEMSA, Senate hold round table talks
- Senate says, Electricity Act on the way
The Management of Nigerian Electricity Management Services Authority (NEMSA) has held a round table talk with the House of Senate to enlighten lawmakers on the technical and enforcement standards in the electricity sector. The Senate Committee on Power, led by its Chairman, Senator Gabriel Suswam, noted that the Senate is in the process of enacting a new Electricity Act.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director NEMSA, Peter Ewesor, noted the conflict on the roles of NEMSA and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). He stated that this should be clearly defined in the new Electricity Act.
Responding, Senator Suswam stated that ”So what we are trying to do is to put up an Act that comprehensively covers all sectors of the power industry. New issues have arisen from those entities that have been taken over by private companies”. ”So those issues need to be addressed in the Electricity Act, just as is done in other climes. I picked up the Act from India; it is very comprehensive because they decoupled their own sector a little earlier than when we did ours”, he added.
The Bill for the new Electricity Act, which has passed the first reading, is expected to be approved by the Senate later this year. ”We intend to pass the Act possibly, if not by the end of this year it will be in the first quarter of next year”, Suswam said.