Minister of Power proposes capital punishment for vandals

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The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has proposed the implementation of capital punishment for individuals involved in the vandalism and theft of power infrastructure.

Speaking in Abuja on Monday, the minister expressed deep concern over the frequent damage to power assets and described it as a significant challenge facing the sector.

He said, “The Ministry of Power and its affiliated agencies are advocating for capital punishment for those engaged in the vandalization and theft of power infrastructure in all its forms.

“Capital punishment is a necessary measure because these actions are gradually undermining the nation’s well-being, economy, and its people.”

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Highlighting the widespread nature of vandalism across transmission and distribution power assets, the minister lamented its adverse effects on efforts to achieve a stable power supply.

He stressed that the continuous sabotage was hindering the nation’s progress.

The minister urged Nigerians to recognize the collective ownership of these assets and emphasized the need for citizens to actively protect them.

He reminded the public that taxpayer money was used to acquire these assets and emphasized the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Power with the National Security Adviser’s office and security agencies to safeguard them.

Adelabu revealed ongoing collaborations with states to establish protection frameworks for the infrastructure.

Additionally, the Federal Government is working towards providing two million meters annually to bridge the existing meter gap within four to five years.

“We have a presidential metering initiative in progress with an initial seed fund of ₦75 billion. Further support from the Nigerian Sovereign Investments Authority will be sought to supplement this fund, potentially increasing it to ₦100 billion. There is a well-planned intervention to significantly reduce the meter gap,” the minister explained.

While acknowledging the reduction in the meter gap, Adelabu highlighted the importance of addressing new connections to the grid as new communities come online.

He urged Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to enhance their metering plans and meet minimum yearly targets to ensure the success of the initiative.