The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has reacted to the condemnations on the N8 billion in the ministry’s 2025 budget, saying the amount is meant for advocacy, education, enlightenment, and provision of technology to protect power infrastructure.
Adelabu said the N8 billion is also to enlighten Nigerians on the need to protect and take ownership of the power infrastructure and other national assets.
The minister made this known via a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji, on Thursday, January 23, 2025.
He described claims that the money was meant for sensitisation on payment of electricity bills as false, saying the ministry had no such need to preach to Nigerians about the need to pay for electricity consumed by them.
Adelabu said the various distribution companies in the country are capable of recovering debts owed by those who enjoy their services.
According to Adelabu, the budgetary amount is meant to sensitise Nigerians on the need to show patriotism in their attitudes and conduct towards national assets, especially power infrastructure.
The minister stated: “Far from what is being canvassed, the federal government is deeply worried about acts of sabotage that have continued to erode the gains made in the last one and half year in electricity supply to Nigerians.
“It is important to correct the impression that N8 billion is being proposed for sensitization on electricity payment.
“We are all aware that in the last few months, acts of vandalism have continued to throw different parts of the country into darkness with vandals planting bombs under power towers, carting away power lines and cables, the recent one being the vandalism of underground cables that has thrown many parts of Abuja into darkness, it is therefore important to protect the power infrastructure.
‘My office in darkness’: Minister decries vandalism of transmission lines
“Our advocacy would entail sensitization across the 774 LGAs and 36 States and Abuja, it would entail the use of electronic platforms such as radio and television; the social media, newspapers, and billboards to re-orientate Nigerians on the implications of vandalizing power infrastructure and the need to sensitise Nigerians to own these infrastructure.
“It would also require the engagements of the different community stakeholders across the geo-political zones in town hall meetings; engaging local security men to protect such assets. This would also involve the deployment of technology to safeguard these assets.
“Also, the ministry will embark on some Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects across many of the host communities to our power installations to motivate and encourage them for protection by local hunters and security personnel. All these will cost so much.”
He added: “On the issue of incessant grid collapse, efforts are continuing to tackle the problems.
“It is a known fact that over the years, the infrastructure has been neglected and allowed to decay to a state of dilapidation. These are being gradually tackled. The Siemens project is one of the ways of tackling this. The pilot stage of the Siemens project was to ensure the installation of 10 power transformers and mobile substations across the country and so far, is about 95 per cent completion.
“The 2nd phase will see the construction of 14 brownfield substations and 20 greenfield substations. Agreement has been signed for the construction of five substations starting Q1, already. This will further strengthen the grid capacity and reduce instances of grid collapse. Not only that, the SCADA project is still ongoing.”
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