President Muhammadu Buhari says that sabotage and theft of gas are undermining the efforts of the government to increase power supply in the country.

The President, who said this in a question and answer interaction with the Nigerian community in Tehran, the Islamic Republic of Iran, noted that “although some improvement in power had been recorded in the recent period,” sabotage of pipeline installations continues to be a problem.

He told his audience that Nigeria had everything it takes to generate enough power. “Power is a running battle because the saboteurs are still there. We have the potential. We have gas, we have qualified people but we are contending with a lot of saboteurs who go and blow up installations. When gas is pumped to Egbin and such other power stations, thieves and saboteurs such as the militants cut those supplies.”

He also cited another factor as the reduced role of the government in the sector due to the privatization of the institutions under the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN in the process of which, he said, the facilities “have been sold to a number of interest groups.”

He gave the assurance that the Military task-forces with representation from the Army, Navy, Air Force, the Police and the secret services will be reconstituted to secure the pipelines. “Supplies will become steady; there will be less sabotage as we secure the pipelines,” he said.

Credit: ChannelsTV