By Olayinka Ajayi
Following the recent blasting of 24″ELPs, a gas pipeline at Inikoroga in Gbaramatu kingdom in Delta state, the Minister of Power, Prof. Chenedu Nebo, has blamed the lingering power outage in the South-West on the continuous bi-weekly attacks on gas pipeline by vandals.

Nebo, while speaking with Saturday Vanguard in a telephone chat yesterday, stated that efforts were being made by President Jonathan’s administration to ensure regular power supply in Lagos and its environs.

“A few weeks ago, after President Jonathan commissioned the Phase 2 of Egbin Power Station in Lagos, he assured Lagosians of his commitment to making steady power supply a reality, but it is obvious that the bursting of gas pipelines to our power stations has moved from being a horrible bi-monthly occurrence, to a depressing daily phenomenon,” he said.

“We just concluded fixing the vandalized Escravos Lagos gas pipeline that was knocked off by vandals a few weeks ago, within that period, gas plant OBEN was shut down for its maintenance and capacity enhancement. Hoping that when it is done, we would have regular electricity. Now we are faced with the devastating blow of fixing a newly vandalised gas pipeline in Delta State!”.

The Minister stated that no national utility anywhere in the world would cope with this despicable level of orchestrated menace, adding that the timing and regularity of the attacks suggested the possibility of more sinister motives.