AS part of efforts to stem the incessant vandalisation of electricity transmission lines along the Rivers and Bayelsa corridor, the Rivers and Bayelsa states governments are synergizing efforts to curb this ugly situation.
Speaking during a joint meeting with the deputy governor of Bayelsa State and his team at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, 10 December 2024, Rivers State deputy governor, Professor Ngozi Nma Odu said she was excited because steps to mitigate the vandalisation of the towers and transmission lines would be profiled at the end of the meeting, adding that one do not sweep one’s problems under the carpet, but bring them out and bring up strategies that would nip it in the bud.
Prof Odu disclosed that when the acting governor of Bayelsa State called and mentioned why he was calling, she realised it would be beneficial to both states and informed Governor Fubara, who approved that the meeting should be held, stressing that the parley is the brainchild of the Bayelsa State acting governor.
Earlier, the Bayelsa State deputy governor, Sen. Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, said the visit was necessitated due to the incessant vandalisation of transmission lines located along the boundaries of both states, specifically, Ahoada East and West local government areas, stressing that there was a need for both states to collaborate and put an end to these attacks.
The deputy governor, who revealed that for the past four months, the transmission lines between Bayelsa and Ahoada have been vandalised more than three times, noted that the actions of these vandals led to the setting up of an anti-vandalism task force in Bayelsa State by Governor Doye Diri, to checkmate their activities.
Sen. Ewhrudjakpo, who thanked the Rivers State governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara for taking an interest in bringing to an end the activities of these vandals, noted that Rivers State has continued to play the role of an elder brother to Bayelsa State.
Addressing journalists shortly after the closed-door meeting, the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information, Hon. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, said both states discussed extensively how to curb the activities of vandals along their transmission lines, stressing that they were planning to have a joint vigilante team, derived from the communities where they have the transmission towers because according to her the community involvement is key to finding a lasting solution to the problem.
Also speaking, the Rivers State Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Hon. Charles Beke, expressed the readiness on the part of the Rivers State government to implement resolutions reached between the two states.
Eighteen-Eleven Media