- The Senate directed the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to expedite repairs on the vandalized Jos-Gombe transmission line to restore power
- The Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Power to fund repairs and extend the transmission line to include the Gombe-Maiduguri route
On Wednesday, the Senate directed the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to expedite the repair of the vandalized Jos-Gombe 330KV transmission line to restore power to the Northeast region. The six states in the North East—Taraba, Gombe, Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa—as well as parts of Plateau State, have been experiencing blackouts due to the reported vandalization of key transmission towers on the Jos-Gombe route.
The Senate also urged the Federal Ministry of Power to allocate funds for these repairs and to extend the transmission line to include the Gombe-Maiduguri route. These resolutions followed a motion by Senator Manu Haruna (Taraba Central) during a plenary session by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Furthermore, the Senate appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to expedite the Makurdi-Jalingo-Yola-Gombe 330KV transmission line construction. This project aims to connect the North East to the South East transmission line, providing an alternative supply path in case of faults on the Jos-Gombe line.
The Senate also called on the Ministry of Power to collaborate with security agencies and vigilantes in host communities of TCN transmission lines to prevent further vandalism.
In his remarks, Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central) emphasized the need to identify and punish those responsible for the vandalism, highlighting the crime’s impact on social infrastructure. He noted, “It’s a crime to go and destroy social infrastructure. Those who are responsible for this vandalism must be punished. I am happy that the TCN promised to restore power this weekend. I hope they will keep the promise.”
Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan (Borno Central) added that parts of the North East had already been without power for the past two years, even before last month’s vandalism of the towers. He stressed the severe impact on major facilities, stating, “Major facilities like airports and hospitals have no light as a result of the activities of vandals.”
The Senate’s directives aim to address the power crisis in the North East and ensure that vital infrastructure is protected from further vandalism.
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