Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Power and Petroleum Development, Mr Camillus Umoh, has urged residents to take ownership of all power infrastructure provided by government for their benefit.
Umoh, who made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Uyo yesterday, warned that anyone caught vandalising power infrastructure would face the full wrath of the law.
Noting that the state government had over the years repositioned itself to ensure the supply of regular electricity to its citizens, the commissioner said previous administrations were futuristic by ensuring regular power supply by establishing Ibom Power Plant.
Umoh added that the plant was strategically positioned to supply power to residents without connecting to the national grid.
The commissioner said apart from aging infrastructure, vandalism had been a major problem facing power infrastructure in the state.
“As end users, people should be concerned that this property and asset that are the common patrimony of everybody, should be protected; what are we doing to show joint ownership?
“That our destinies are co-joined; if anything affects it, it affects everybody. There should be citizens participation and co-ownership of the entire power infrastructure.
“A situation where people see an unauthorised person having access to transformers and they don’t speak out and they are vandalised, then know that you vandalised yourself,” Umoh said.
He added that the state government expanded Ibom community watch to every ward in an effort to ensure the protection of power infrastructure.
Umoh said government would provide intelligence within the communities, with a fast response system in place, should anything happen.
He commended a community in Uruk Anam Local Government Area that apprehended vandals last week.
According to him, the case is being investigated, as the culprit will be charged to court after investigation, to serve as a deterrent to others. (NAN)
