Security agencies and power sector stakeholders have resolved to enforce existing laws against vandalism, deploy technology to protect national assets and intensify awareness to end attacks on power infrastructure in Nigeria.
The resolution was arrived at during inaugural meeting of the Ministerial Committee on Prevention of Vandalism of Power Infrastructure convened by the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, in Abuja.
A statement obtained by Premium News quoted that participants at the meeting included the Special Adviser to the President on Homeland Security, Maj. Gen. 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 of the Ministry of Power and directors from agencies under the ministry.
According to the statement, the meeting noted that incessant attacks on generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure disrupt electricity supply to homes and businesses, inflate repair costs and erode sector investments.
Participants advocated the need for measures to curb the menace and defined the roles each institution will play, pledging to work together to bring vandalism to an end.
Besides, they agreed to align the committee’s work with the critical infrastructure unit of ONSA, reinforcing the treatment of power assets as a national security priority.
The committee is expected to reconvene next week to review progress, with effective implementation expected to reduce vandalism-induced outages and strengthen protection of public and private investments in the sector, the statement said.
