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Most Electrical Installers Incompetent-Mera

The Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority says the level of incompetence’s and shortcuts by electrical installers in the country has reached worrisome levels, where lives of Malawians are now at risk.
For many years now the country has experienced a spate of fire accidents involving both dwelling and business structures that have been related to faulty electricity installation. While many people blame electricity supplier for the fires, the energy regulator says these incidences emanate from illegal installations by unskilled electrical installers. MERA Board Director, Lameck Ntchembe, says such shortcuts as well as illegal installations will come to an end as the regulatory body, using its mandate will soon engage its inspectors to bust such illegal and uncertified installations. Lameck Ntchembe says considering the deficiencies the organization plans to introduce inspectors on the work done by installers as one way of trying to curb accidents that occur as a result of shoddy work done by installers. “There has been a performance gap in terms of the installation works, there was a lot of shortcomings that led to installation causing a lot damage like electrocution, fire hazards in some instances,” Ntchembe explained. “The need rose to try and improve the performance of the installation by introducing inspection to these installation so they meet the necessary standards and specifications,” he said. Mark Gadama President for Electrical Contractors Association of Malawi has admitted the problem does exist and needs to be checked. “We want to move together, we don’t want the other side of the country to remain behind, we want to have good electrical installation works. “With the guidelines we will have everything to reduce the fire’s,” Gadama said. The electricity by-law of 2012 provides that all installations must be inspected and issued with certificate of compliance renewable every 5 years.
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