By Ikemefuna Asika, Awka
The Vice President, Alhaji Kashim Shettima has inaugurated an electric energy meter manufacturing factory in Oraifite, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State.
At the event Thursday, Shettima said the energy factory, called Advanced Energy Management Solutions, would help the Federal Government in it’s efforts to address the power challenges in the country.
While acknowledging the electric metre shortage in the country, Shettima said the factory would help reduce the metre shortage gap.
“We commend this initiative as we commission the factory to the glory of God and the use of humanity. This will help reduce the shortage gap of prepaid meters in the country.
“We believe that the establishment of the factory will help resolve the power supply challenges facing the country by addressing the critical issue of very high metering gap among consumers.
“It is also a direct response to the call by the Federal Government for local and foreign investors to invest in Nigeria, create jobs and stimulate economic activities all around the country.”
In his speech, Mr Okechukwu Onyejiuwa, the Chief Executive Officer of Advanced Energy Management Solutions Ltd said the factory had an installed capacity of 1.4 million metres per annum and commenced operations last year.
Onyejiuwa said the company’s entrance into the metre asset provider industry would bridge the perennial metering gap in the country and ensure greater value for electricity companies and consumers.
He maintained that the facility had the capability to produce Single Phase and Three Phase as well as Maximum Demand Meters and was equipped with advanced, cutting-edge equipment and machinery to manufacture a wide range of smart energy meters.
“This factory has the capacity to produce 1.4 million meters annually.
“The establishment of the factory is to support government efforts to resolve the power supply challenges facing the country by addressing the critical issue of a very high metering gap amongst consumers.
“It is also a direct response to the call by the Federal Government for local and foreign investors to invest in Nigeria, create jobs and stimulate economic activities all around the country,” he said.
Onyejiuwa disclosed that products of the company had about 60 percent local content and that the firm’s operations had so much employment benefits with huge positive social impacts.
He called on the Federal Government to support local meter manufacturing companies and encourage more players to join as part of the deliberate effort to achieve the aims of the National Mass Metering Programme.
He said there was an urgent need to improve ease of doing business, harmonise revenue/tax collection and create a more conducive environment for businesses to thrive.
According to him, in addition to direct jobs, we estimate that there will also be over four thousand indirect jobs created by the activities of this company.
“The operations of this factory will stimulate economic activities in the country especially given the high-tech nature of the skills required for the manufacturing process.
“To deliver our meters from this factory to Enugu for instance, one will encounter over fifteen checkpoints and roadblocks comprising police, army, produce inspection, emblem checkers.
“So many government and quasi government agents stop vehicles carrying goods indiscriminately to extort and collect taxes and levies prescribed by them and often not backed by law.
“Your Excellency, notwithstanding the challenges, we are determined to contribute our own quota in the development of our sector and contribute to the power improvement objectives of the government,” he said.
The vice president was joined by Gov. Chukwuma Soludo, top government officials and captains of industry at the event.
Other projects commissioned by the vice president included the official commissioning of Ijele 93.1FM and housing units donated for widows, among others.
