Metering challenge: House committee on power inspects M/E facility, assures of intervention to get government patronage.

Stephanie Clems, Umuahia.

The new Master energy metering company at Onuaku, Uturu, Isuikwuato local government area of Abia state has everything to serve the public as desired.

The distribution companies in Nigeria are overwhelmed with the request by Nigerians for prepaid metres more so with tariff increment.

Already the master energy company has already produced over 150,000 single and multiple faced pre paid metres waiting to be purchased.

The house committee chairman on power Hon. Victor Nwokolo during an inspection of the facility on Tuesday with members said they needed to see the companies producing metres to ascertain the nation’s readiness to serve the masses.

Hon. Nwokolo observed that the factory though has been existing on self effort over the years, is also providing lots of employment to Nigerians.

“Today, we have seen something positive, today, we have seen something cheering. Today, we have seen something that gladdens the heart. Not only that they will provide metres to give succour to the teaming Nigerians, but providing a lot and a lot of employment which shows that truly government doesn’t need to be employing people all the government needs is to provide the enabling environment .

“But here today, I won’t say there’s enabling environment, but what they are doing or have been able achieve is through self help through a very tedious road they are passing,” Hon. Nwokolo said.

According to him, all that the company needs are to be connected to the national grid to ease production cost, and for the road leading to the facility to be fixed.

He commended the president of the company, Mr. Uche Ogah of the huge employment opportunities he created with the multi purpose factory, saying he has already helped government in that regard.

The managing director of Master energy company, Prince Mba told the committee about the challenges being encountered by the factory and urged it to intervene.

He highlighted the production capacity of the metering company.

For his part, the president of the company, Mr. Uche Ogah and former minister of state for mines and steel development said the company is yet to get any form of help from the government since inception .

He said his target is to employ 50,000 persons to reduce unemployment, saying that so far there are about 2000 staff working in their facilities.

“Definitely, they need to create enabling environment . They need to be liberal with whatever that is obtainable in Lagos and Abuja is available in the south east, to make resources available for people especially within this region. “When you are an investor within this region, you should be appreciated by the government , supported by government in every area, not just those that are in the urban cities,” he said.

Hopefully, the visit of the house committee will birth the needed partnership between the federal government and master energy in the production of metres.