Inferior Electrical Equipment: A Threat To The Nation’s Safety

Since the advent of electricity in Nigeria, the quest to serve the nation with steady and safe electricity has been a herculean task. The rising incidents and electricity related hazards like electrocutions and constant unprecedented fall of electric poles have exposed the shortcomings of the Electric Supply industry.

The upsurge in the falling of electric poles is also an issue that has not gotten a lot of attention in times past due to the nonchalant attitude of the government and lawlessness of the citizens. It is a common knowledge that various unwholesome practices like; the deployment of sub-standard electrical materials and rampant recourse of unlicensed poles have caused preventable accidents that destroyed properties and left innocent people bed ridden or sent to early graves.



However the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) an apex certification body that ensures that locally manufactured products in Nigeria give the required degree of satisfaction to consumers through compliance with Government policies on standardization. SON has ensures that a conformity assessment is carried on all manufactured Low Tension and High Tension Poles to minimize the risk of electrocution and damage.

It is assumed that with this certification in place, a good number of high and low tension poles will be up to standard thereby automatically reducing major electrical risk but unfortunately this has proven to be a mirage.

Sharing is thought on this, CEO Vision Production Limited Mr. Tunji Okanlanwon ‘’Research has it that despite the discreet approach of the government in ensuring electrical safety, some poles are still not SON certified due to inadequate grass root penetration which allows quack manufacturers produce and circulate inept poles to unenlightened people who will naturally not splurge money on quality. A good number of Local Council Development Areas in Lagos are guilty of this’’.

‘’At VPL, we manufacture concrete electricity poles for rural electrification and other electrification projects. Our concrete electric poles are certified by Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) and they conform to government approved production standards. We believe in quality that is why we strive to offer to our customers the best in order to prove that quality is the central point of all business activities’’ he added.

Is it safe to say this intricacy is hinged on the fact that the government has not taken sole responsibility of providing basic amenities for the entire power sector thus giving room to laxity and influx in the use of sub-standard electrical equipment?