EBONYI RESIDENTS DECRY RISING CASES OF ELECTRICITY INSTALLATION VANDALISM

Reporter : AMECHI ODO

The challenges facing the power sector in Nigeria following its unbundling in 2013 are still enormous but the most worrisome is the spate at which electricity cables and transformers are being vandalized across the country.

Ebonyi network area which falls under Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) is not insulated from this economic sabotage as over thirty transformers were said to have been vandalized from December 2019 till date in some parts of the state.

Radio Nigeria, in this report, highlights reasons behind vandalism of electricity installation in Ebonyi and efforts by the stakeholders to address the ugly trend. EDDC has over thirty thousand energized transformers within its network area covering Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Anambra and Abia States.

Investigations reveal that  in recent times no month passes in Ebonyi State, without a reported case of transformer and cable vandalism. Two residents of the state, Mr. Samson Ekeigbo and Apostle Fred Eze, share their experiences.

“One that was located at Community Secondary School Amana, it was vandalized two weeks after it was installed, second one was installed  in 2015 but by 2017 it was  vandalized. Now the same one was vandalized this year.

“Since last month, my transformer no (sic) work again, they say (sic) them stole something inside it.”

Apart from residential areas, corporate establishments are not spared as a transformer serving Radio Nigeria 101.5 Unity Fm Abakaliki was vandalized three weeks ago alongside one installed at Nnodo Secondary School Abakaliki and another at Aloma Amaikeaba.

Being a high risk sector, some electricity consumers have always insisted that vandalizing components, including Up Riser Cables, feeder pillars, aluminium conductors, gang isolators and transformer oil, requires the use of professionals.

Perhaps the arrest of two contract staff of EEDC over alleged vandalism at Presco last week as confirmed by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ebonyi State Command, Mr. Paul Odimba, had given credence to the allegation of conspiracy.

“On completion of the official assignment their office sent them, they now went into their own personal assignment which involved vandalizing 21 mm Aluminum cable that they were not authorized to cut,” the NSCDC spokesman stated.

Also worrisome was the activities of scrap dealers, who are always in wait to purchase the vandalized  components. For instance, one of them was tracked down last week with the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the State, Mrs. Loveth Oda, emphasising that the suspect mentioned two collaborators who were being trailed.

“Though it has happened in so many places, you have one that happened in your own side, that is Unity FM, we have one at Presco Estate, the one that happened in CPS where the suspect was arrested, he actually confessed to have committed that one between Ebonyi Local Government Area or so,” the PPRO enumerated.

However, it has been observed that vandalism of electricity installations has brought untold hardship to most consumers in Ebonyi State as some are often asked to raise money for the replacement of the vandalized components.

“When our transformer was vandalized at Aguogboriga Phase 3, we stayed for some months without light, then the community decided that each compound should contribute five thousand Naira, depending on the number of occupants, at least to settle some staff of EEDC that will come and work on the transformer,” one of the consumers narrated.

The Head Corporate Communication of EDDC, Mr. Emeka Eze said it was  the responsibility of EEDC to replace vandalized installations and described as criminal the extortion of customers for any repair.

“Sometimes they will apply for these material or take these material from the store, collect money from you, put in the pocket and use the material they got from the store to repair the transformer,” Mr. Eze lamented.

Mr. Eze called on EDDC customers in Ebonyi State to report any EDDC official who refused to fix a vandalized installation until money was contributed, noting that the company was interfacing with community stakeholders on the protection of transformers.