The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has urged communities hosting transmission infrastructure to support its efforts to curb the vandalism of power towers.

The General Manager (Transmission), Enugu Region, Dr. Thomas Inugonum, made the plea when he led the management and staff of the company on a sensitisation visit to seven communities in the towns of Agbogugu and Ihe in Awgu local government area of Enugu State over the weekend.

The communities included Akanwu, Eziama, Obom, and Obodoakpu, all in Agbogugu town, as well as Enuguoke, Enuguato, and Enuguechi, all in Ihe town.

Addressing the leaders of the communities in separate gatherings, Inugonum emphasised the importance of youths in the fight against vandalism.

He expressed concern that electricity distribution companies have been using vandalism as an excuse for the poor distribution of power to many communities, stating that this is the main reason the company seeks the communities’ assistance in protecting transmission lines, towers, and other power infrastructure.

He lamented that the delay in supplying power now provides hoodlums with opportunities to vandalise power infrastructure in the forests.

“It’s because of this vandalism that we’re here to beg you to talk to the youths to help protect this infrastructure so that whenever you don’t have electricity, you know the people who are responsible for that.

“I say this because we always have electricity 24/7 in our transmission stations, waiting for the DISCOs to distribute it to your homes. But they always attribute their failures to vandalised power infrastructure,” he said.

He stated that vandalism was the greatest challenge in Nigeria’s power sector, stressing, “traditional rulers, town union presidents, youth leaders, vigilante operatives, and the members of the communities are critical stakeholders that will help in curbing the menace.”

“This trend is dangerous. If we continue like this, I am afraid, electricity cannot be sustainable. Other countries are progressing positively, but we are progressing backwards”.

He listed the consequences of vandalism to include interrupted power supply, huge losses, and other associated damages, charging all patriotic citizens to protect these facilities.

He also explained that the right-of-way for high-voltage power lines was 25 meters on either side, adding that it was dangerous to farm or build on the right-of-way of the transmission lines.

According to him, people encroaching on the company’s right of way may face electrocution, fire hazards, and structural collapses, leading to deaths and property losses.

The leaders of all the communities visited declared their support for the campaign and vowed to continue playing their roles in protecting the government infrastructure.

The traditional ruler of Obom Agbogugu, HRH Igwe Sunday Orji, and the president of Ihe clan, Engr. Solomon Anichukwu, promised to instruct their vigilante group to monitor the infrastructure passing through their towns.

They appealed to the company to always include their youths and treat them equally as they do with other communities.

The communities also urged TCN to persistently persuade security operatives to ensure the prosecution of suspected vandals, and to resist the temptation of granting them bail only for them to return to the community and become a threat to the people who reported them.