By Jude Michael
The Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima, has said that mass manufacturing of electricity meters can help the Federal Government solve the problem of electricity in Nigeria.
Shettima stated this when he commissioned an electric energy meter manufacturing factory in Oraifite, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The Vice President also commissioned other projects, including a radio station, Ijele 93.1FM; housing units donated for widows; Sir Emeka Offor Foundation (SEOF) Touch-A-Life Housing Unit and Phase 3 of the Housing Scheme, as well as SEOF Social Investment Programme.
Inaugurating Advanced Energy Management Solutions, an electricity meter manufacturing company, Shettima said its operations would assist the Federal Government in its efforts at addressing power challenges in the country.
His words, ‘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.’
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, Advanced Energy Management Solutions Limited (AEMSL), Okechukwu Onyejiuwa, said the factory had the capacity to produce 1.4 million meters annually, and at the same time produce Single Phase and Three Phase, as well as Maximum Demand (MD) Meters.
He also revealed that the factory would create about 500 direct jobs, comprising majorly of Engineers, Technicians, as well as Finance and Administration professionals.
‘In addition to the direct jobs, we estimate that there will also be over 4,000 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.
‘It will also conserve scarce foreign exchange through reduction in the cost of imported raw materials, developing local raw materials sources and the potential for export to other countries within Africa and other parts of the world in the near future,’ he said.
