By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has said the frequency of power outage in the state was of serious concern to his administration.
Governor Diri, in a statement issued by Mr. Daniel Alabrah, his Chief Press Secretary lamented that the state had again been thrown into darkness following the collapse of two 132kV line that transmit electricity to the state from Owerri in Imo State through Ahoada in Rivers State.
Vandals reportedly tampered with two transmission towers, T98 and T99, on July 29 at Igbogene community in Yenagoa Local Government Area, plunging the entire state into darkness.
The governor said the state government was already working with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to restore power as quickly as possible.
Managing Director of the Bayelsa State Electricity Company Limited, Engr. Olice Kemenanabo, who confirmed that the TCN officials were handling the situation, appealed for patience.
Kemenanabo, however, urged people of the state to be vigilant in order to curb the activities of vandals causing untold hardship to electricity consumers.He also advised the public to report any suspicious activity around the towers to the security agencies just as he warned vandals to steer clear of the facility in order not to worsen the situation.
The BECL MD stated that the latest incident had made it imperative for the TCN to take urgent steps to establish a work centre in Bayelsa, which he said is a call the state has been making since 2021.According to him, this will enable ease of intervention and quick response when such a situation occurs.