Lagos — Minister of State for Power, Hajia Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi and the National Union of Electricity Employees have disagreed over the presence of meter manufacturing companies in the country.

They expressed the opposing views at the commissioning of National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) training facility at Ijora and Akangba in Lagos at the weekend.

In his brief remarks at the occasion, General Secretary of the union, Joe Ajaero lamented the absence of meter manufacturing companies in Nigeria, saying the development is not good enough for the ongoing power sector reform.

He said Nigeria still imports large number of meters, while concrete effort has not been made to commence production of meters in the country.

He said Nigeria risks being shortchanged through estimated billing by the would-be owners of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria if the development is not addressed.

He said creating room for the manufacturing of meters in the country would add value to the power sector as well as increase job opportunities in Nigeria.

Midway into her speech, Hajia Kuchi, who was a special guest at the occasion, punctured Ajearo's position and said Nigeria indeed has two metering companies in Zaria and Kaduna.

She said both companies are currently producing over 1000 meters in the country.

She said federal government had long realized the gap in human capital bedeviling the power industry in pursuit of the power reform agenda.

She said effort was being made to transform the erstwhile moribund PHCN training centres into a national training institution.