Fuel Vandalizing Has Seized Since The Assumption Of President Buhari - Ministry Of Power (MOP) Permanent Sec.

   The Ministry of Power has said that no single case of gas pipeline vandalism has been recorded since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office three months ago.


The Ministry's Permanent Secretary, Godknows Igali, made this disclosure to newsmen at the Presidential Villa, Abuja in response to questions on what had been responsible for the recent improvement in electricity supply across the country.

Igali recalled that vandalism of gas pipelines was recurrent in the last days and months of the previous administration, and reached its peak on the May 26th when gas-generated electricity was completely grounded.

However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the brickbat with the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sunday, had explained that the increase in electricity supply was due to the groundwork done by the Goodluck Jonathan administration before the election, the fruit of which was manifesting now in the form of increased electricity supply.

But Igali said things however improved since Buhari took over as the current administration had redoubled efforts at engaging communities where the pipelines pass through to allow peace to reign, a move which he said, had resulted in increased gas supplies and improved power supply nationwide currently at 4,600 megawatts.

Apart from building on efforts of past government and tasking stakeholders to double efforts by Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo had been holding meetings almost on daily basis with power distribution companies (DISCOs) on ways of improving power supply to consumers.

It is no miracle but a lot of work being directed by the president and the vice-president," said the permanent secretary, adding that "people are working in a more concerted manner", to achieve the prevailing results.

With these efforts being sustained, Igali said that more gas had passed through pipelines without hindrance.

He dismissed the insinuation that power supply improved because of increased rains, saying that the hydro power stations in Kainji and Shiroro contributed just about 20 per cent of the entire electricity and no substantial additions came from there.