By Agatha Chitumu, Abuja

 

DAILY COURIER – The Federal Government has berthed a Metre Generation Museum/Gallery at the National Metre Test Station, Oshodi in Lagos State.

The evolution is at the instance of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA).

Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of State, Power, Goddy Jedy-Agba, OFR, said the Museum/Gallery was designed to showcase the evolution path of electricity Metre in Nigeria from a simple electromechanical electricity metre to Advanced Metre Reading (AMR) and Advanced Metre Infrastructure (AMI).

Tagged the first of its kind in Africa, Jedy-Agba noted further that the project was aimed at educating Nigerians on how electricity meters used to be during the pre-independence era, the several evolution steps as a result of technological advancement, where it is now and a perception of what it’s expected in the future.

The Minister added: “The establishment of the Metre Generation Museum/Gallery brings the historical time-line of electricity metre generation closer to the people of Nigeria and the world at large”.

Further to that, the Minister maintained that the facility will be used as a collaborative launch-pad in the power sector for Lecturers, Students, Tourists and Electricity users, to enhance their knowledge in evolution of metres and have confidence in the discussion of the metre origin.

While reiterating the commitment of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to power reform, he noted that the epoch-making event was significant and represents a milestone in the realization of this administration’s objective of providing safe, reliable and sustainable electricity to the citizenry of this country “.

Earlier in his opening remarks, NEMSA Managing Director/Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation, Engr. Tahir Tukur Aliyu described the project as unique milestone in the history of the agency, saying it will archives all the generation of energy metres ever used in the country.

Aliyu added that the importance of the energy metre in the electricity value chain cannot be overemphasized as over the years, it has evolved from simple billing devices to an essential part of electricity network which monitors and helps with load management.

Similar galleries according to him would be set up in other National Metre Test Stations in Kaduna, Port Harcourt, Kano and Benin to bring the facility closer to the people.

“It’s our fervent belief that with today’s event, NEMSA will further create awareness on the importance of electricity metres in homes, their evolution, what to look for in the metres and ultimately educate Nigerians on the need to insist on having only metres duly tested by NEMSA with attached NEMSA crimp seals”. he added.