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Stable power supply depends on tackling vandalism, power theft — Adelabu

The Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, has said a stable power supply in the country can only be possible if activities of vandalism and power stoppage are tackled.

This was even as he revealed that he is collaborating with the office of the National Security Adviser, the Ministry of Interior, and security agencies to tackle the activities of the vandals, which have become a major threat to the stable power supply in the country.

The Minister also called on governors, especially the northern governors, to raise the occasion and protect the national assets in the region.

He made this known while speaking with newsmen after a working visit to power installations and discos in Kaduna on Tuesday.

According to him, vandalism is the deliberate destruction of power assets, especially transmitting power assets, high-voltage cables, and transformers, which we believe have affected the stability of electricity in the country, especially in the north.

“We are collaborating with the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Ministry of Interior, and all security agencies across the country to ensure that this is stopped.

“I also call on all state governors, especially in the north, to raise the threat to the security of power assets for us to be able to deliver stable electricity to our people.

Adelabu also posited that the “people must also be generally vigilant. We have local hunters and vigilantes; all of us must contribute to the security of transmission power assets and distribution infrastructure.

“That is the only way we can guarantee a stable supply of electricity to our people.

On the power plant in Kudendan, Kaduna, which was awarded in 2010, the minister said the contractor working on the plant has been mobilised to the site.

“At the end of 2018, the project was almost 87 per cent complete. However, there were a number of legal issues that involved the contractors. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had to intervene, and there was a stoppage in the project.

However, he contended that “when the present administration came, we resolved these issues, and the contractors are back on site.

“That is why I visited the place to discuss the plans for completion with the contractor and also to discuss with the consultants the intervention required from the ministry to accelerate the completion of the project.

He assured that, “Before the first quarter of next year, that project is going to be completed, and an additional 215 megawatts of power would be added to the national grid.

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