by Paul Effiong
House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Interior, to urgently provide adequate security for all transmission towers across the country to prevent further vandalism of the facilities.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Rep. Oboku Oforji (PDO-Bayelsa) during plenary in Abuja on Tuesday.
Presenting the motion, Oforji noted that on July 29, residents of Yenagoa, Bayelsa capital, woke up to a total blackout.
This, he said, was occasioned by the collapse of a transmission station between Emezhi and Mbaima in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers.
The lawmaker said that the collapse also affected three other transmission stations between Igbogene and Nedugo Agbia in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa.
According to him, the incidents have resulted in the dwindling of socio-economic activities in the state.
Oforji recalled that on Nov. 19, just as the work was nearing completion at Ula-Akpata in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers, some hoodlums went and vandalised a section of the lines.
He stated that the people of Bayelsa had been in total blackout for over four months.
The lawmaker, however, commended the state government for mobilising financial and material resources to support the Transmission Company of Nigeria ,TCN.
He called for more proactive measures to forestall future occurrences of vandalism of the transmission towers.
Adopting the motion, the house mandated the Committees on Interior and Power to ensure compliance.
