By Segun-Ogundeyi Fiyinfoluwa
Participants at the ministerial committee meeting convened by the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, for the prevention of vandalism of power infrastructure, have recommended the enforcement existing laws on vandalism to bring offenders to justice.
They also said technology should be deployed in protecting national assets, and to use sensitisation and advocacy to prevent incidents before they occur.
According to a statement by Mathew Ibiyemi, Media Consultant to the Minister of Power, the committee is tasked with ending attacks on assets across the electricity value chain.
The committee was constituted in response to attacks on generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure, which disrupt supply to consumers, increase repair costs and erode the investment on which the sector depends.
Its mandate also includes defining the contribution each institution will make toward a lasting solution.
According to Ibiyemi the inaugural meeting was attended by the Special Adviser to the President on Homeland Security, Major General Adeyinka A. Famadewa, directors from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the leadership of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Permanent Secretary, and directors from the Ministry and relevant agencies under the Ministry of Power.
He stated: ‘‘The committee’s work will be aligned with the critical infrastructure unit of ONSA, reinforcing the treatment of power assets as a national security priority.”
He also noted that the committee will reconvene again to review progress. “Effective implementation should translate into fewer outages caused by attacks on infrastructure and a more dependable supply, and should strengthen the protection of public and private investment in power”, he added.
