… funds to strengthen community advocacy, technology, CSR projects in host communities
Oredola Adeola
Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Power, has clarified the N8 billion allocation in the 2025 budget appropriation for the Ministry of Power, was specifically dedicated to funding a nationwide sensitization campaign across the 774 local government areas, the 36 states, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as radio, television, social media, newspapers, and billboards to educate Nigerians on the adverse effects of vandalizing power infrastructure.
The Minister of Power, through a statement by Bolaji Tunji, his Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations, clarified misconceptions about the N8 billion allocation in the 2025 budget appropriation.
The initiative, according to him, also aims to reorient citizens toward taking ownership and responsibility for safeguarding these critical national assets.
The Minister further revealed that the allocation includes provisions for engaging community stakeholders across the six geopolitical zones through town hall meetings.
He added that these gatherings will be complemented by the involvement of local security personnel to protect power infrastructure.
According to him, the funds are focused on community-driven initiatives, advocacy, education, and enlightenment to ensure the sustainability and security of power infrastructure nationwide, including the deployment of technology to safeguard these assets.
He said, “Also, the Ministry will embark on some CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) 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.
“More specifically, the advocacy will take us to all the nooks and crannies of the country, we will hold meetings with the leaders, stakeholders, and youths.
“We will run television and radio jingles, we will go on social media, so that we can reach those we need to address over this issue. We will reach them in their local languages and dialects.
“The initiative also enlightens Nigerians on the need to protect and take ownership of the power infrastructure and other national assets.
The Minister further explained that contrary to claims in some quarters the money was meant for sensitization on the payment of electricity bills, he added that this is far from such claims.
He added that the ministry had no such need to preach to Nigerians about the need to pay for electricity consumed by them as the various Distribution Companies (DISCOs) are capable of recovering debts owed to them by those who enjoy their services.
Chief Adelabu noted that the budget is meant to sensitise Nigerians on the need to show patriotism in their attitudes and conduct toward national assets, especially power infrastructure.
“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 years 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 the 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,” he added.
He stated that the Ministry will also embark on some CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) 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.
“More specifically, the advocacy will take us to all the nooks and crannies of the country, we will hold meetings with the leaders, stakeholders, and youths.
“We will run television and radio jingles, we will go on social media, so that we can reach those we need to address over this issue. We will reach them in their local languages and dialects.
“So, you can imagine how much this will cost, but we believe that this will help us to address this issue and arrest it. This is essentially what this budgetary allocation is meant for”, the Minister said.
Adelabu said, “We have the DISCOs who provide the generated power to the customers, so we have no reason whatsoever to embark on an advocacy for customers to pay for what they consume.”
“Let me also use this opportunity to tell Nigerians that it costs the TCN over a billion to bring back the transmission towers and lines destroyed by the terrorists on the Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna line which threw substantial parts of northern Nigeria into darkness last year, up till now, we are yet to complete work on the lines due to activities of bandits who have continued to stagnate efforts to repair some of the lines.
“We believe that the advocacy we are proposing should be able to redirect the minds of those who are bent on taking us backward in our effort to provide, efficient, effective, and uninterrupted electricity to Nigerians. Only last weekend, almost half of Abuja was thrown into darkness as a result of the activities of the vandals.
“The history of vandalism of the nation’s power infrastructure is legendary.
“However, in recent years, it has escalated and in over one year, it has continued to increase at an alarming rate. We have suffered sustained and more violent attacks on our infrastructure.
“If you recall, for over two weeks last year, almost the entire northern part of the country was thrown into darkness, as bandits and terrorists, not just vandals, attacked our transmission lines and towers on the Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna transmission lines.
“Dynamites were used to bring down the towers and the lines. This is just one of many such attacks across the nation.
“We have received support from the nation’s security agencies to address these attacks, but it has not abated,” he said.
Chief Adelabu therefore emphasised that the Power Ministry lacks its security forces to protect infrastructure, prompting the decision to seek National Assembly approval for advocacy efforts aimed at encouraging community leaders, stakeholders, youths, and all Nigerians to take ownership of power infrastructure in their communities.
