The House of Representatives Committee on Safety Standards and Regulations has commended the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) for upholding high safety standards at the Calabar Power Plant in Odukpani, Cross River State.
On Monday, the Committee gave the commendation after an on-the-spot assessment of the 565MW facility, noting significant improvements since its last visit in 2018.
The chairman of the Committee, Hon. David Idris Zacharias, said the inspection aimed to ensure that Nigerians work in safe environments and enjoy long, healthy lives.
He commended the staff for maintaining the plant and stressed that the health and safety of power sector workers were critical to the government and the economy.
“We, the Safety Standards and Regulations Committee members, always appreciate it when we step into any organisation and see that they have done well. My impression here is positive, and you also heard the same from my honourable colleagues,” Zacharias said.
However, he noted that the visit was intended to commend and highlight areas requiring improvement.
“When we come to a place like this, we must observe areas that need attention. We are saying this to encourage them to deepen their commitment to safety issues. We went round and saw their challenges, which we will take back to the government.
“We are hopeful that by the time we return, some of the issues we observed would have been addressed,” he added.
Specifically, the committee called for improvement in the work environment for staff, including better lighting, rest areas for shift workers, and adequate seating in offices.
Other members of the committee were Hon Harrison Anozie Nwadike, Hon Suleiman Abubakar Gumi, Hon. Kalejaiye Paul Adeboye, Hon El-Rasheed Abdullahi and Hon. Emmanuel Effiong Udo.
The lawmakers, who were conducted around the plant by the Chief Operating Officer of the Calabar Power Plant, Engr. Ayoade Olanrewaju Bex, described the facility as one of the best they had visited in terms of safety standards and compliance.
Welcoming the delegation on behalf of the executive director, Generation, Engr. Abdullahi Kassim, the general manager, Generation Projects at NDPHC, Engr. Valerie Agberagba, said safety and standards remain top priorities for the company.
She stressed that the company’s workforce is central to its operations, adding that NDPHC would continue to improve the work environment for staff, particularly those at its power plants.
“The House Committee on Safety Standards and Regulations visit was very important to us. It allowed us to assess where we are in terms of health, safety, and compliance with regulations and standards at our power plants.
“For me, it was an eye-opener. You could see that when they compared the 2018 report to what they have now, there has been a great improvement in compliance. This shows that NDPHC is not taking safety, regulations, and environmental standards for granted. We are working towards a safe environment for both our workers and the operation of the power plant,” Agberagba said.
She stated that the company has taken note of the areas that need improvement, adding that “this management is very concerned about the welfare of the staff, because if they are not in a good position to work, we are not going to get the best out of them.
“So those little observations have to do with good work conditions for the staff, we will make sure that these things are taken into consideration in the shortest possible time.”
Also, the Ag. Head, Health, Safety and Environment, NDPHC, Austin Ijagem, disclosed that the plant has not recorded any work-related accident that has led to a fatality since it began operations.
“The safety at the power plant has been top-notch. Their consultant mentioned that in 2018, when they visited, they raised a lot of pending issues and safety concerns. They also acknowledged that the difference was clear when they came in today. A lot of the safety concerns raised in 2018 have been closed out. That means we are getting nearer to almost zero pending issues regarding the safety at the power plant”, he stated.
