BY CHUWANG DUNGS
Taraba State government on Thursday raised the alarm over the continued blackout in the North East region and the consequences in terms of safety and economic growth.
Some states in the region, including Taraba as been experiencing power outages for over two weeks as a result of the vandalisation of four transmission line towers along Jos-Gombe 330kv line.
Addressing Journalists on the development, the state commissioner of Energy and Economic Development, Naomi Agbu, said recent reports received has shown spikes in crimes and insecurity in the region.
“These senseless acts of sabotage have not only jeopardized the reliability of electrical infrastructure in the North East region but have also resulted in widespread inconvenience and hardship for our community, plunging millions into blackout.
“Recent reports received have shown spikes in crimes and insecurity issues for a region like the North that is already endangered. The cascading effects to our regional economy especially, in terms of food production cannot be over exaggerated.” She noted.
Specifically, Miss Agbu frowned at the continued economic vandalism of transmission line towers, in disregard for the well being and prosperity of the region.
She said despite the fact that it is a federal government issue, the state government is working seriously in collaboration with Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) to address the situation.
“We have also contacted the Minister of Power, and we are yet to get positive feedback for the weeks of blackout.
“The lengthy time to respond to this matter is concerning as it shows complete by FGN to Taraba state and the region
“In addition to our immediate efforts of monitoring the restoration of electricity supply, YEDC has informed us on the measures that they are implementing to enhance the security and resilience of electrical infrastructure
“This includes increasing surveillance and patrols of transmission line corridors, implementing stricter access controls to critical infrastructure sites, and enhancing community engagement to raise awareness about the importance of protecting these electrical assets” Agbu said.
She urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities or individuals observed near transmission line towers or electrical facilities attempting to vandalize any infrastructure.
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