By Stephanie Daniels
Energy Window International (Media) 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.
The Committee gave the commendation recently after an on-the-spot assessment of the 565MW facility, noting significant improvements since its last visit in 2018.
Chairman of the Committee, Hon. David Idris Zacharias, said the inspection was aimed at ensuring that Nigerians work in safe environments and enjoy long, healthy lives.
He expressed delight while commending the entire staff for ensuring the health and life of the plant, stressing that the health and safety of workers in the power sector were critical to both government and the economy.
“We, the Safety Standards and Regulations Committee members, always appreciate when we step into any organization and see that they have done very well. My impression here is positive, and you also heard the same from my colleagues,” Zacharias said.
He noted that the visit was not only to commend the NDPHC workforce but to also highlight areas of further improvement.
“When we come to a place like this, we must observe areas that need attention. What we are saying here is 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.
The Committee specifically called for improvement in the work environment which will include the provision of a decently furnished and well-illuminated staff lounge for shift workers.
Other members of the Committee were Honorables Harrison Anozie Nwadike, Suleiman Abubakar Gumi, Kalejaiye Paul Adeboye, El-Rasheed Abdullahi and Emmanuel Effiong Udo.
The lawmakers who were conducted round the plant by the Chief Operating Officer of the Plant, Engr. Ayoade Olanrewaju Bex, described the facility as one of the best in terms of safety standards and compliance they had visited.
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 have been top in terms of priorities in the company.
She stressed that the company’s workforce was central to its operations, adding that NDPHC would continue to improve the work environment for staff, particularly those at its power plants.
“The visit of the House Committee on Safety Standards and Regulations was very important to us. It gave us the opportunity 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 issues of safety, regulations, and environmental standards for granted. We are working towards an environment that is safe 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 improvements, 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 conditions of work for the staff, we will make sure that these things are taken into consideration in the shortest possible time.”
Also speaking, Ag. Head, Health, Safety and Environment, NDPHC, Austin Ijagem disclosed that the plant has not recorded any work related accident that has led to fatality since it began operations.
“The safety at the power plant has been top notch. Their consultant mentioned that in 2018, when they visited, there were a lot of pending issues, safety concerns that they raised. And they have also acknowledged that when they came in today, the difference was clear. A lot of the safety concerns raised in 2018 have been closed out. That means we are getting nearer to almost zero pending issues as far as the safety at the power plant is concerned”, he stated.