The Managing Director of National Electricity Management Service Agency (NEMSA), Mr Peter Ewesor, has hinted that the agency would ban the use of wooden poles for electricity installations in 2016.

Speaking to newsmen on Thursday, he said that the agency was finalizing partnerships with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Federal Fire Service and other relevant agencies to ensure that recommended safety standards are maintained in all electricity installations in the country.

He said that materials like meters, cables and transformers would also be closely monitored to ensure original materials are used at all times, adding that the use of wooden poles would only be approved when such poles have been certified by NEMSA.

The new rules were announced on the back of a recent inspection of electrical installations across the country where NEMSA discovered the use of substandard materials for customers by contractors.

According to the MD, the agency would intensify its inspection exercise in the year 2016 to ensure that all homes and offices, contractors as well as relevant agencies adhere to the new quality requirement.

He noted that in spite of the insistence on quality materials, however, NEMSA would continue to encourage the local production of these materials but would demand high quality control from local meter and transformer manufacturers.

Mr Ewesor was of the view that the economy would benefit immensely from the new order and more jobs will be created.

He urged Nigerians to embrace the use of quality materials for electrical installations in their homes and offices.