The minister of power, Adebayo Adelabu, on Friday, decried the incessant vandalism of critical power transmission equipment in the country.

Adelabu made this known at the official inauguration of a 100 MVA power transformer at the 132/33kv transmission substation in Isolo, Lagos.

According to the minister, the issue of vandalism being experienced in all the transformer networks across the country is disturbing.

“It can be depressing, when we have just completed a transformer installation and few weeks later, they are brought down by vandals.

“This shows that we don’t love ourselves, this does not happen in many other parts of the world.

“A lot of places are in darkness today because of these acts of vandalism.

“For four months, Bayelsa State was in darkness because of local vandalism,” he said.

Mr Adelabu said that he had just received a message that vandals had destroyed the Kapanke Area 132 KVA line 1 and 2, which are underground cables, overnight.

“This act has thrown the Central Area in Abuja, Maitama which includes my own office in Garki Area into darkness.

“Why do we hate this our country so much for us to engage in this kind of negative activity which does nothing but draw the country backwards.

“As we are struggling to stabilise energy power transmission in the country, some people are hiding somewhere to frustrate this effort and draw the country backwards,” he said.

The minister urged all stakeholders, from government agencies to private sector partners and local communities to work collaboratively to ensure the sustainability and security of the nation’s power equipment.

He commended the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) for its diligence and dedication in completing the project.

“I am happy we are commissioning this today because of the positive impact it will have on our energy access and reliability.

“Beyond enhancing electricity supply, this project has broader implications for our economy through direct impact on Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).

“It will also reduce operational challenges caused by power shortages, foster economic growth and create job opportunities for Nigerians.

“This is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda which recognises that energy is not merely a commodity; it is the backbone of economic growth and job creation,” Mr Adelabu said.

Sule Abdulaziz, the managing director, TCN, said that the newly- installed transformer would progressively increase TCN’s capacity to transmit more bulk electricity through substations to Distribution Companies for their customers.

“This project is a testament of TCN’s unwavering commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s transmission network despite the many challenges.

“Notably, this is the first Service Level Agreement (SLA) transformer project completed and energised by the TCN.

“We are proud of this achievement, as every successfully completed and energised project brings us closer to realising a robust and stable grid system.

“This enhancement significantly boosts the substation’s ability to provide improved electricity supply to the Ikeja Electric (IE).

“As a result, IE will be able to transmit more power to critical areas within its network, including Airport Road, Ajao Estate, Isolo Local Council, PTC, Afprint, Idi-Araba, Aswani, and Pure Hygiene,” he said.

Mr Abdulaziz added that the project would lead to enhanced power availability and reliability for both residential and commercial consumers in these areas.

“The impact of this project is truly invaluable.

“The new 110MVA power transformer will greatly enhance electricity supply reliability and capacity in Lagos, improving power delivery to residential, commercial, and industrial consumers in key areas.

“It will also reduce operational challenges, promote economic growth, and create job opportunities that will drive local and regional development,” the TCN boss said.

Folake Soetan, the chief executive officer (CEO), Ikeja Electric, said the new transformer would enable it to improve supply to its customers.

Rekia Momoh, the acting managing director, Eko Electricity Distribution (EKEDC), said that it would increase capacity and reduce load in Isolo and its environs.

(NAN)