Infrastructure: Federal Government, Borno Government hold Town Hall Meeting 

The Borno State Government hosted the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture on a one-day town hall meeting with the theme vandalization of power and telecommunications infrastructures in Nigeria.

Secretary to the Borno State Government, Usman Jidda Shuwa who gave the welcome remarks stressed the need to put heads together to address the lingering issue of vandalism of power facilities and communication infrastructure across the country.

He said, ” at the end of this deliberation a viable solution to safeguard the power and communication equipment will be realised as they are tools for a viable economic growth”. 

“The cause of deliberate and malicious destruction of high tension electricity ware, supplying power to Maiduguri and other parts of the State by Boko haram terrorist which has rendered the State in total darkness and untold hardship is inhumane”

The SSG further said, ” the State Governor in his unquestionable commitment to the welfare of the people took deliberate steps to reverse the unusual situation by not only ensuring the immediate restoration of high tension wires but also mobilised all the necessary material finances and security for 3 months intensive work”.

“Electricity was restored but not long after repairs, the insurgence in desperate move blew off the repaired portion and other parts of the high tension wire.

“I sincerely hope this meeting will come with ideas of implementable strategies to deal not only with the problem of power in the state but also with other challenges.

The Minister of Information and Culture who was also in attendance thank the Borno State Government for hosting the event stating that the town hall meeting was the second in series since it was launched in Lagos April 1 2016.

The Minister said the federal government had invested heavily in providing infrastructure across the country, in recent times such effort by the FG has been put into a sad situation by some unpatriotic citizens by destroying critical infrastructure and depriving the greater citizens to benefit from these infrastructures.

“The consequent of destroying such facilities aside endangering the lives of innocent citizens, it takes the government limited revenue to reconstruct the destroyed facilities”. 

“This meeting was set up to achieve four objectives.

* protecting public infrastructure 

* to create in the public mind that government property are citizens property 

* to sensitise communities on the importance of government property as it will benefits them directly

* to expose those behind the act”.

The minister of power who was represented by Mr. Sule Ahmed the Managing Director Transmission Company of Nigeria(TCN) said the destruction of power facilities is not just about Borno but a national problem.

He said, “ in the power sector vandalisation has become a great challenge now, from the gas pipe line to the transmission lines and towers”. 

” The effort of the Buhari administration is to ensure every citizen of the nation has access to a stable electricity supply which is now truncated by some unpatriotic citizens.

” it’s now a problem for the TCN to main a steady power supply through Damaturu – Maiduguri highway.

The Borno State Governor, Proffessor Babagana Umara  Zulum expressed deep appreciation to President Buhari, noting that in addition to the 50MW power plant, the President has directed the Federal Ministry of Power to look into the possibility of establishing 150 mega watts power plant in Borno.

“Let me at this juncture, convey my gratitude to the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari for his approval of an alternative power supply to Borno State.”  

“A few days ago contract for the establishment of a thermal electricity plant in Maiduguri was signed by GMD NNPC, Mele Kyari and the contractors. The contractors are expected to resume very soon.  

“The President has also directed the federal ministry of power to look into the possibility of establishing 150 megawatts of solar power plant in Borno State,” Zulum said.

Zulum described the 9-month blackout as a harrowing situation, particularly, to those who depend on power supply for their daily livelihood needs.

The Governor added that substantial resources have been committed to the efforts of power restoration to Maiduguri and surrounding communities both by the federal and state governments, which was destroyed days after successful repair work.

Also present were, traditional rulers led by the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Elkanemi, Secretary to the State Government, Usman Jidda Shuwa, members of the state executive council and the state security chiefs led by the theatre commander, Major General Christopher Musa.

 

Nnenna.O