The Nigerian Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (NIEEE) yesterday warned communities under electricity distribution companies network to desist from disrupting ongoing electricity power projects across the country.
The association’s Secretary, Mr Ajibade Hafeez, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Hafeez urged the Federal Government to enforce subsisting laws and penalise communities that disrupt construction of electricity power projects.
He said that the hostile nature of some communities and the vandalism of electricity infrastructure might compel government to relocate such projects from such communities.
Hafeez also condemned the incessant extortion by some communities and the disruption of ongoing project in their areas.
“Communities should support and cooperate with the government in sorting out extant community resettlement issues or risk having the power asset relocated from their areas.
“With the level of obstinate attitudes exhibited in some of the communities, I think government should come down hard on communities with penchant for disrupting ongoing power projects within their localities,’’ he said.
Hafeez urged communities’ leaders to assist in monitoring government’s equipments within their locality.
He suggested that security personnel drafted to power project should be rotated every year before the personnel become too familiar with the communities.
The secretary also suggested the drafting of communities’ leaders into the security management of governments’ ongoing projects to safeguard the infrastructure. (NAN)
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