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The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has called for the intervention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to tackle vandalism and energy theft in the power sector.
Tegbe said the activities are costing the sector billions of naira annually and undermining efforts to improve electricity supply.
He made the call on Tuesday in Abuja when he led a delegation from the Ministry of Power on a courtesy visit to the EFCC Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, at the commission’s headquarters.
The EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, disclosed this in a statement.
Tegbe said vandalism of electricity infrastructure and energy theft are major challenges facing the sector.
He added that the ministry lacks the statutory powers to prosecute offenders and therefore needed the EFCC’s support in investigating and prosecuting suspected economic crimes in the sector.
“There are two areas where we need your intervention. One area is vandalism. There is a lot of vandalism going on in this country. People are stealing manhole covers and other valuables. The vandalisation is affecting our towers,” he said.
“The President has charged us to create awareness and also prosecute people (those stealing and buying) but we do not have the power to prosecute offenders. We can only report to you. They can be arrested and prosecuted. We believe the Commission can help us in that area. We need to collaborate.”
On energy theft, the minister said some electricity consumers are failing to pay for power supplied to them, resulting in significant revenue losses.
“The second area is energy theft. Companies that have access to power do not pay electricity bills. We are losing billions annually. We need your intervention,” he said.
Tegbe also commended Olukoyede for his work in the investigation and prosecution of economic and financial crimes, as well as the recovery of proceeds of crime.
He described the EFCC chairman’s approach as “a bold and ambitious approach”.
The minister expressed optimism that stronger collaboration between both institutions would help curb activities undermining the power sector and support efforts to improve electricity supply.
He also thanked the commission for its intervention in the legal dispute that stalled the 215-megawatt Kudendan Power Plant project in Kaduna State.
Responding, Olukoyede described vandalism and energy theft as revenue fraud, as well as “major concerns and acts of economic sabotage”.
He pledged the commission’s support for the Ministry of Power in tackling the challenges.
Olukoyede said the EFCC would work with the ministry to introduce Fraud Risk Assessment and Control mechanisms across its projects.
“We are ready to work with you, particularly in the area of incorporating Fraud Risk Assessment and Control to all your projects; both the abandoned ones and the new ones coming up. We will set up a team to analyse and audit some of the projects,” he said.
The EFCC chairman also assured the ministry of the commission’s support in monitoring ongoing projects.
He stressed the need for preventive measures to stop fraud before public funds were lost.
“We must not wait till monies are stolen, particularly on sensitive projects. It is not going to be business as usual,” Olukoyede said.
