By Sanni Onogu,
The Senate on Wednesday, May 22, urged the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to hasten repair works on the vandalised Jos-Gombe 330KV transmission line and restore power to the northeast states of Gombe, Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, and Taraba.
It also directed the federal Ministry of Power to allocate funds for the repairs and extend the power line to include the Gombe-Maiduguri end.
Recall that the six northeast states and parts of Plateau state were thrown into darkness about one month ago after vandals reportedly destroyed key towers of the power line along the Jos-Gombe route.
The Senate’s resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Manu Haruna (Taraba Central) and 14 other lawmakers from the zone at a session presided over by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, in Abuja.
The Senate also appealed to President Bola Tinubu, in line with the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of his administration, to expedite the construction of the Makurdi-Jalingo-Yola-Gombe 330KV transmission line to connect the northeast to the southeast transmission line to preserve as an alternative supply path to the North-East in the event of a fault on the Jos-Gombe line.
It further urged the Ministry of Power to “collaborate with security agencies and local vigilantes in the host communities of TCN transmission lines to deter and prevent acts of vandalism.”
Senators in their contributions to the debate called for more attention to be given to the well-being of the people of the Northeast whom they said had suffered from long years of neglect.
On his part, Senator Kaka Lawan informed the Senate that prior to the vandalism of the towers last month, some other parts of the Northeast had been without light for two years.
“The issue of the 330KV line is a recent development. Before now, many parts of the zone had been without light for two years.
“Major facilities like airports, and hospitals have no light as a result of the activities of vandals”, Lawan said.
The immediate past Senate President Senator Ahmad Lawan recalled that as far back as the 90’s, the “UNDP caregorised the North East to be the poorest in Nigeria”, adding that, “even today, the situation has not changed.”
He argued that though the Federal Government had intervened with the North East Development Commission (NEDC), the agency had its own limits, requiring the government to give more attention to the zone.
Senator Adamu Aliero in his contact called for the arrest and prosecution of the vandals to serve as a deterrent to other criminal elements.
“Let’s find out who did the vandalism. It’s a crime to go and destroy social infrastructure.
“Those who are responsible for this vandalism must be punished. I am happy that the TCN promised to restore power this weekend. I hope they will keep the promise”, he said.