The Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, on Thursday said it pays vigilante groups monthly to protect its facilities in the country.
DAILY POST reports that the General Manager of the company in the Benin Region, Engr Isaac Okpe, disclosed this during interaction with newsmen in Benin City.
Okpe said the development was part of the efforts of the company to protect, as well as to dissuade people from vandalism its facilities.
He noted that those caught vandalizing the company’s facilities have been charged to court for prosecution.
He, however, stated that if the rate of vandalism was not checked, it would overwhelm even the government.
He identified encroachment on the right of way, vandalism and excavation of sand at the tower base as some of the challenges facing the company.
“Encroachment on our right of way is very dangerous.
“It is supposed to be 30 meters from our 33kv lines but you see people putting all manner of buildings, markets among other activities on our right of way.
“Those carrying out activities there are playing with their lives because if the conductor drops, even trees will become ashes because of the radiation.
“It was as a result of the radiation that before TCN embarked on line construction, acquired the right of way and pay compensation so that all the hazards would be far away from the people.
“Encroachment, vandalism, excavation and other acts are threatening our tower and smooth transmission of power to the Disco”, he said.
He posited that the acts of vandalism has led to the collapse of the organisation’s towers in many places.
Okpe noted that replacing the collapsed towers built several years ago would cost four times of what was expended to reconstruct it due to the high exchange rate.
He said the commission was meeting with security agencies, state governments and other stakeholders across its franchise states to assist in sensitizing the residents against such acts.
Okpe said the interaction with newsmen was aimed at improving transmission in its franchise states of Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti.
He explained that the company has embarked on upgrade of its facilities in the Benin Region, leading to more than 100 per cent improvement in power transmission capacity.
We pay vigilante groups monthly to protect our facilities – TCN
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