The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution (PHED) Plc, Dr Benson Uwheru has reconstituted and inaugurated the Health and Safety committee at the energy distribution company.
The committee is led by Dr Uwheru, who is an ESG champion and Risk expert who took the bold step in line with the provisions of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Health and Safety Code, as provided for in section 5 [a] [1] Subsection 2 of the Nigerian Electricity Health and Safety Code.
According to the code, every employer shall constitute a Health and Safety Management Committee that will provide valuable services to the organization as it pertains to risk and safety management planning. Dr Uwheru charged the committee to meet periodically and exchange risk and safety management ideas and information that could help make their assignment effective.
The committee shall be responsible for implementing the company’s Health and safety policy and the Nigerian Electricity Health and Safety Code. In ensuring compliance with the provisions of the code, the committee shall be guided by provisions of part V section 5 [a] [3] of the Nigerian Electricity Health and Safety Standards Manual which states that every employer shall take a comprehensive insurance policy to adequately cover its facilities, employees and third parties as appropriate without prejudice to other national laws on insurance.
In his inauguration speech, the MD/CEO commended committee members and reminded them that in line with the code’s provisions, the committee is saddled with the responsibility of effective management of the Health and Safety Management System in the company. He urged them to work hand in hand with the HSE/ESG department to ensure that the policies translate into effective risk management in the company with a view to achieving a reduction in work-related and public incidents.
According to Dr Uwheru, the achievement of zero tolerance levels in workplace accidents begins with promoting and imbibing a safety culture. He informed the committee that it is their responsibility to institutionalise the safety culture in the company and ensure that every risk indicator point is managed proactively to reduce or eliminate health and safety losses in the company.
Other members of the committee include Friday Agillo, the company’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Kvva Tyanarayana, CTO, Micah Ledee, CPO, Itoro Essienobom, Head, of the company’s Health, Safety, Environment and Social Governance (HSE\ESG) and Secretary of the committee among others.
