The Aba Power, Nigeria’s newest electricity distribution company (DisCo), has lauded leaders and residents of some communities in nine of the 17 local government areas it provides electricity for taking ownership of the electric power infrastructure in their places.
The commendation followed the actions of members of the communities against attempts to tamper with the electricity infrastructure in two LGAs in Aba City. According to Edise Ekong, the Aba Power Brand and Communication manager, the vandalization efforts failed because vigilant community leaders and members, on noticing the suspicious movements of the vandals, confronted them while alerting both the police and the security staff of the Geometric Power Group, Aba Power’s parent company.
According to Ekong, while escaping from the scene, one of the vandals who stole the upriser cables of a 500kva distribution transformer at the Abayi-Ogbuligba Junction, which is by the Ariara Junction in Osisioma LGA, was electrocuted.
“It is regrettable that the young man, Obioma Joseph Nwadinma, in his 20s and an indigene from a nearby community, lost his life in an ignominious manner, thereby bringing shame to his family, community and friends”, the manager remarked, adding that his family felt scandalized by his conduct.
Ekong stated the second person, Isaac Ude, was caught while tampering with prepaid meters in the Tonimas Building at 10 Diobu Avenue, off the Aba-Owerri Road in Aba North LGA, when the people raised the alarm and quickly contacted the police and the Aba Power security team who apprehended him.
“These two related incidents, among others”, said Ekong, “show that communities, businesses, and individuals in our coverage area are fast developing the owner’s mindset, that is, they recognize that the electricity infrastructure in their places is their own asset which has to be protected by all means for the benefit of all”.
He described the development as a deviation from the traditional stance of the Nigerian people who would see critical infrastructural facilities like power facilities, telecommunication cables, rail track slippers, and petroleum pipelines being vandalized without raising an alarm because they considered them no person’s property.
Ekong expressed optimism that “as natural gas supply to our 188-megawatt General Electric plant is expected to resume soon, after the unknown last weekend and pipelines supplying gas to the plant, our electricity supply to customers will become more constant, resulting in the people getting more enthusiastic about cooperating with Aba Power to protect their property.
“We are immensely grateful to the communities in our franchise area for their understanding and support, which we will never take for granted. We implored them to continue to be vigilant and alert security agencies and Aba Power of any suspicious movements around the electric power infrastructure where they live or work”.
