Capital punishment awaits vandals of electricity infrastructure

Vandals of electricity infrastructure in the country awaits tougher time as the Senate proposed capital punishment to stem increased incidents of vandalism across states of the federation.

The proposal followed the debate on a bill seeking to amend the Electricity Act 2023.

The primary objective of the bill sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), scaled second reading on Wednesday during plenary is to address critical issues that have emerged since the Implementation of the Electricity Act 2023.

The bill seeks to address new challenges in the power sector, enhance regulatory coordination, improve financing structures, and strengthen the protection of national electricity assets.

Leading the debate, committee chairman, Senator Abaribe said the nill specifically seeks to introduce provisions that will enhance policy and regulatory coordination between national and sub national governments to avoid legal disputes and inconsistencies.

Senator Tahir Monguno ( Borno North) in his contribution categorically stated that the best way to stem vandalism in the sector is to “criminalize vandalism of power infrastructure in the country.

“Such punishment will serve as deterrent to would be offenders.

“With this recommendation aptly captured in the proposed amendment, I am fully in support of the view that the bill should pass for second trading”.

Monguno said “the bill is revolutionary in nature akin to the Petroleum Industry Bill”.

He further said the new bill will settle the rift created by the 2023 Act which brought power from the exclusive list to concurrent list.

“There must be a middle point to bring to conformity so that certain lacuna created can be corrected”

Senator Adamu Aliero ( Kebbi Central) called for a stiffer penalty for offenders of vandalism to safeguard the nation’s electricity infrastructure and ensure uninterrupted power supply.

Senate Deputy Whip, Oyelola Ashiru ( Kwara South) and vice chairman of the Power Committee while supporting that the bill be ready a second time said the proposed bill will undo certain things done in the 2023 Electricity Act.

He expressed concern about the debts owed power generating companies (Gencos) and distribution companies (Discos).

Among others, the bill set to strengthen sectoral financing in the face of crippling sector debt crisis: Criminalise critical electricity infrastructure vandalism in the face of the rising wave of recurrent sabotage by vandals and Foster industrial relations in the sector by balancing labour rights in the context of essential services as recognized by domestic and International best labour practices and Instruments.

The bill will also clarify ongoing transitional provisions for the transfer of intrastate electricity matters from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to State Governments especially matters having bearing on the operation of the national grid system and other overlapping issues;

“Clarify the framework for the operationalization of the Power Consumer Assistance Fund to address subsidies to vital social services and underprivileged consumers as a paradigm shift from the current subsidy arrangement that has left government with huge trillions of Naira in deficit of subsidy payments.

“Re-define and make provision for a sector-wide framework to guide host community engagements by licensees operating in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NEST) across the power value chain;

“Remove inherent ambiguities in a few provisions of the Principal Act to allow for darity, elegance and smooth implementation; and fortify existing institutional and legal frameworks of the NESI etc.