Cable vandalism responsible for power outages — Edo deputy speaker

The Deputy Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Osamwonyi Atu, has attributed persistent electricity outages in parts of his constituency to the activities of cable vandals.

Speaking with journalists in Benin City on Monday, Atu, a member of the All Progressives Congress, said efforts to restore power to communities such as Abudu have been repeatedly disrupted by sabotage.

He noted that the affected areas—about seven communities—have endured power challenges for over 15 years, adding that ongoing intervention projects have been slowed by vandalism.

“I promised during my campaign that we would bring electricity and development to our communities. Although my tenure is not yet three years, work has started, but vandals keep destroying cables,” he said.

The lawmaker, who represents Orhionmwon East Constituency, assured residents that he remains committed to completing the project and fulfilling his campaign promises before the end of his tenure.

Atu also accused opposition elements of attempting to disrupt his recent re-election flag-off rally, alleging that they staged a protest that nearly escalated into violence.

“We do not believe in violence. We engaged them peacefully, but they were ready to fight,” he said, adding that the situation was eventually brought under control and the event proceeded successfully.

Highlighting his achievements, Atu described his performance in office as “verifiable,” claiming he has executed projects across all wards in his constituency.

According to him, the projects include school construction and renovation, provision of boreholes, installation of street and solar lights, and construction of community halls in areas such as Abudu and Igbanke.

He also said he has awarded over 100 scholarships, with beneficiaries studying in institutions including the University of Benin and other tertiary schools.

“Some beneficiaries have already graduated, while others are still in school under fully funded arrangements covering tuition, accommodation and other expenses,” he added.

Also speaking, the Benin South Regional Head of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, Henry Dafe, said the electrification project, which began in 2025, was close to completion before vandals destroyed key components.

“The vandalism set us back significantly, as the project was scheduled for commissioning in December last year,” he said, noting that items stolen included copper wires, lightning arresters and galvanised pipes.