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 on Monday 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 praised the staff for maintaining the plant, stressing that the health and safety of workers in the power sector are critical to both government and the economy.
“We, the Safety Standards and Regulations Committee members, always appreciate when we step into any organisation and see that they have done very well. My impression here is positive, and you also heard the same from my honourable colleagues,” Zacharias said.
He, however, noted that the visit was not only to commend but also to highlight areas requiring 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.
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 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.
