Vandals Of Electricity Infrastructure Render 4 Communities In Ikot Abasi LGA Without Power Supply

At least four communities in Ikot Abasi LGA have been without power supply due to the activities of vandals of electricity transformers in the community. The affected communities are Obom, Ikot Ukpong, Ikot Umiang and Udo-mbon.

According to a resident in Ikpot Ukpong community, Mr. Alex Dixon, "the activities of vandals who specialize in tampering with transformer cables has grounded economic activities in the community for the past one year"

It should be recalled that the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Power, Dr. Victor Udo had stated that "a legislation may be needed to prohibit theft of energy because it undermines the efforts of the Government when electrification projects are implemented and afterwards people vandalize electric facilities that have been installed"

Meanwhile, in an attempt to restore power supply to the affected areas, the Hon. Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Elder U. T Nkanga-Ude, who is an indigene of one of the affected villages, set-up an Electricity Restoration Committee to work with the office of the SSA on power towards the restoration of power supply to the affected communities.

The Chairman of the committee Engr. Isa Isa who led the delegation to the Office of the SSA to the Governor on Power, said several calls have been made for government intervention all to no avail, he therefore pleaded with the SSA on power for speedy intervention to restore the economic life of the affected communities.

In response, the monitoring and intervention team in office of the SSA to the Governor on Power, led by the Deputy Director, Engr. Anietie Orok, visited the affected communities.

During the visit, it was discovered that the three transformers that ought to supply power to these communities had been vandalized. The transformer cables were cut-off from the grid electricity network thereby preventing power from being supplied to the community.

According to Engr. Orok, "the precision with which these cables were cut inspite of the thickness of the cables and the risk involved clearly shows that some experts might be involved in the condemnable act"

When staff of the office visited the nearest PHCN office in Ikot Abasi town, for clarification, the Service Manager, whose name was given as Mr. Frank was not on seat but a staff who gave his name as Ubong Thompson stated that the activities of vandals have continued to undermine the efforts of government to ensure uninterrupted power supply in the area.

The office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Power hereby calls for residents in communities with power infrastructures to be vigilant and safeguard power assets in their communities because when power infrastructures are vandalized the whole community bears the brunt.