By Ijendu Iheaka
Umuahia. Jan. 30, 2025
Abia government says that the increasing rate of vandalism and theft of its facilities is hurting infrastructure development in the state.
Abia Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Mr. Ikechukwu Monday disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria NAN in Umuahia on Thursday.
He said the activities of vandals and thieves which had been rendering existing infrastructure useless was drawing the state backwards hence the urgent need to stop them.
Monday therefore called on all residents, community leaders, security agencies and all stakeholders to help stop the scourge on the state’s development.
The Commissioner said the government was aware of the crisis brewing between Aba Power Electric Limited (APLE) and residents over new electricity tariff and will mediate it.
NAN reports that the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in January approved a 50 per cent tariff increment for APLE which residents say is high and burdensome.
Aba Landlords, Electricity Consumers Forum, business people and residents of Aba had on Tuesday held a meeting rejecting the tariff increment.
He said that the government would act to reach a soft landing for all the parties.
“As you know, power investment is an expensive venture yet we don’t expect the investor to get their money back in one day.
“For now NERC and not the state government is responsible for setting up tariffs and from the tariffs you get the price of power.
“We understand the cry of our people that the economy is biting everybody so we will try to see if there is anyway we can find a little bit of soft landing for our people,” he stressed.
Monday said the approval had made APLE’s tariff the highest in Nigeria requiring such intervention, while also saying the expected outcome might not be guaranteed.
He said his ministry would provide more electricity transformers and support rural electrification projects but would focus on revival of water schemes in 2025.
Monday said though the budget may not complete the ministry’s projects in 2025, whatever is provided will be used to ensure optimal execution of its projects.
