By Adewumi Mercy
The Nigerian Senate has called on the Federal Government to allocate a special intervention fund for the maintenance of transmission lines in the country. This comes in response to the recent destruction of key towers along the Jos-Gombe route, leaving the North East region in total darkness for over a month.
The resolution was passed during Wednesday’s plenary session, following a motion sponsored by Senator Manu Haruna and 14 other lawmakers from the North East zone. Senator Haruna highlighted the urgent need to address the vandalization of transmission lines belonging to the Transmission Company of Nigeria in the region.
During the debate, northern lawmakers expressed concerns over the worsening power outages in the northern part of the country and emphasized the importance of providing justice and support to the people of the North East, who have endured years of neglect.
In response to the situation, the Senate appealed to President Bola Tinubu to fast-track the construction of the Makurdi-Jalingo-Yola-Gombe 330KV transmission line. This project would connect the North East to the South East transmission line, providing an alternative supply path in case of any faults on the Jos-Gombe line.
The Senate’s call for special intervention funds aims to ensure the reliable and uninterrupted supply of electricity to the region, addressing the immediate challenges faced by residents in the North East.
