Yenagoa (ChatnewsTV) — The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has assured the people of Bayelsa State that power supply will be restored within the next six weeks following the reconstruction of collapsed transmission towers along the Mbiama-Ahoada axis of Rivers State.
In a press statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Deputy Governor, Mr. Doubara Atasi, Engineer Olugbenga Ajiboye, Director General of the Transmission Service Provider (TSP), a subsidiary of TCN, made the pledge during a courtesy visit to the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, at Government House in Yenagoa.
Speaking on behalf of TCN, Engineer Ajiboye apologized for the prolonged power outage and acknowledged the economic hardship it has caused in the state. He explained that the blackout was triggered by the vandalism of about 18 transmission towers that disrupted the power transmission line connecting Bayelsa to the grid.
“We are here to plead with the people of Bayelsa State for the outage of power. We are also here to ask for the state’s assistance to restore power. From what we have seen, it will take at least six weeks to reconstruct the collapsed towers and bring power back to the state,” Ajiboye said.
He lamented the growing trend of vandalism nationwide, noting that over 120 TCN transmission structures have been destroyed this year alone, and urged the Bayelsa State government to help secure the transmission facilities.
In his response, Deputy Governor Ewhrudjakpo expressed concern over the ongoing power supply challenges in Bayelsa, pointing out that despite only 30 percent of the state being connected to the national grid, stable electricity has always been elusive.
“The issue of power supply has become a major problem in Bayelsa, and the people are calling on the state government for solutions,” Senator Ewhrudjakpo said. “We urge TCN to expedite its reconstruction efforts and expand transmission to more areas of the state.”
He also assured TCN that the Bayelsa State government would collaborate with the Rivers State government to provide enhanced security for the transmission lines to prevent further vandalism.
The TCN delegation included senior officials such as the General Manager of Transmission Services at the Corporate Headquarters in Abuja, Engineer Sherifai Ali, and the General Manager of Transmission for the Port Harcourt Region, Engineer Emmanuel Akpa.
By Gabriel Ani
