DIPLOMAN TIMES

Plateau State's 70-transformer electricity intervention has reached 98 percent completion, with the government also approving the relocation and refurbishment of transformers to extend electricity infrastructure to additional underserved communities.

The Commissioner for Water Resources and Energy, Bashir Lawandi Datti, disclosed the progress during an inspection of transformer installations in Naraguta, Rikkos, Nasarawa, Agingi, Longwa, Zawan and Du. The intervention was designed to improve electricity supply in communities identified as underserved.

Datti said Governor Caleb Mutfwang had approved the relocation of some transformers to communities with greater need. The Commissioner also said old transformers would be refurbished and deployed to other locations without electricity, meaning the programme's impact could extend beyond the original 70 installations.

The inspection also revealed concerns over vandalism. Datti reported that two communities had experienced vandalism affecting their installations and said the affected communities had been given two weeks to restore the damaged components. He warned that the government would not allow scarce public resources to be lost through inadequate protection of infrastructure.

Some beneficiary communities reported measures intended to secure the facilities. Residents of Rikkos said they had constructed a security house around their transformer, while residents of Agingi reportedly procured CCTV equipment. In Longwa, however, a newly installed transformer had been vandalised. The community chairman said three security personnel had been engaged to protect the facility and appealed for assistance with replacing the stolen components.

The Commissioner urged residents, particularly young people, to take ownership of the infrastructure. The electricity programme is being implemented alongside wider water-sector interventions, including projects under the World Bank-supported SURWASH Programme and French Development Agency-supported projects. The government said the latter had received a two-year extension to allow ongoing projects to be completed.