From Ibrahim Kaulahi, Gusau
The Kaduna Electric may shut it’s services in Zamfara State following unavoidable failure of grids caused by either strong winds and the incessant vandalization of electrical items by unsuspected criminals across some parts of the state.
This was disclosed during a vist to Gusau emirate by the Regional Manager in charge of the state, Abdulrashid Mohammed today (Wednesday), saying, in Gusau alone, over 20 transformers have been vandalized to the extent they become absolutely grounded that the company may not be able to fix them.
Also speaking, the Regional Technical Officer (RTO) Zamfara State, engineer Yusuf Yahaya, cried that, the money being generated in the state is too meagre that can not be used to replace the vandalized items.
“To this point, if the incident persist without taking most needed measures then, the Kaduna Eletric will have no other option than stop the distribution of energy in the state, this is the position of the company because it is currently running at a loss therefore could not contain the situation”, engineer Yahaya has warned.
Engineer Yahaya who further called on the emirate to gear up towards ensuring that the general public are enlightened on the need to consider all electrical instalments in the state as their own property, lamented that, some installations have been emptied by yet to identify criminals.
Responding, the Emir of Gusau, his Highness Ibrahim Bello, who was represented by the emirate Secretary, Sambo A. Sambo, called on both security agencies and the people under the emirate to ensure all the instalments are well protected.
“I call on the people to note that, we are the beneficiaries of the services rendered by the Kaduna Electric, we use it to promote our businesses and other skills for our living, and to cap it all, the energy being distributed by the company has become almost integral to our existence.
“I also have to draw the attention of the Kaduna Electric, to for the sake of minimizing the incident, to increase it’s search lights on the it’s staffers because a lay man can not penetrate transformers without any connivance with those that have knowledge of how to vandalize and where to sell it”, Sambo has warned.
Alhaji Sambo further called on all district and village heads to form Vigilante groups that would henceforth guard all transformers and other installations under their dormains with a view to stop the menace.