Mrs Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, who spoke yesterday (Sunday, August 18) in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), shortly after an on-the-spot assessment of the ongoing works to re-erect two out of the three collapsed power towers in the Igbogene area of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, advised residents to be vigilant and join forces to maintain surveillance on power installations.
Bayelsa has been thrown into darkness for weeks following the collapse of two transmission towers attacked by vandals, according to the Transmission Company of Nigeria, which stated on Thursday, August 15, that the two transmission towers, T98 and T99 along the Ahoada/Yenagoa 132kV line, were vandalised on July 29, in the Igbinoghene community of Bayelsa State.
The TCN said that the incident caused the collapse of both towers, cutting off power supply to the state, including TCN’s Yenagoa Sub-station and the Gbarain Power Station.
Koku-Obiyai noted that the recent extensive attack on power lines supplying electricity to the state suggests a calculated attempt at making life difficult for Bayelsa residents, urging the people to join the government in condemning the unfortunate criminal attacks on power towers in the state.
The Information Commissioner however commended the TCN for responding quickly to Bayelsa government’s calls to restore the collapsed towers.
She expressed optimism that power will be restored, with the quick commencement of repair works in Bayelsa and 13 other collapsed towers between Okugbe and Mbiama in Rivers soon.
The commissioner urged political gladiators to desist from turning the disaster into a blame-game warning that their attitude is capable of strengthening the hands of the vandals, who will readily find support in their political approach to the serious issues of development.
“We urge the people of Bayelsa to be patient with the Federal Government controlled Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
“TCN are the owners and operators of the powerline, every effort is being made to rehabilitate the damaged power towers to restore supply to the state,” Koku-Obiyai said, assuring that the State government would continue to work with relevant stakeholders to forestall a future occurrence of the willful damage of power infrastructure in the state.
In his own remarks, Managing Director of the Bayelsa Electricity Company Limited (BECL), Mr Olice Kemenanabo also assured of the state government’s commitment to working with every stakeholder to ensure restoration of power soonest.
Kemenanabo expressed regrets over the attitude of residents to government assets, insisting that the only way to ensure that citizens derive enduring benefit from the amenities in their communities is for them to own such assets and protect them.
He explained that since the residents are the primary beneficiaries of such infrastructure, it is only imperative and reasonable that they keep an eye on the installations.
The managing director said but for the vandalism of 13 additional towers between Okogbe and Mbiama, power would have been restored in four weeks.
He called on the security agents in the state to be focused on fishing out the unscrupulous elements and their accomplices that shut down economic activities in the state.
He however reassured residents that with the activation of the emergency clauses by TCN for the rehabilitation of the towers, power would likely be restored within five weeks. (NAN)
