Nigeria’s Power Sector Gets Rangers to Protect Energy Investments
Taking cue from the Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals in establishing Mining Marshals made of officers and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps NSCDC, Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo is set to establish ‘Power Rangers’ to protect investments in the Power and Energy sector.
He said “it is not acceptable for Nigeria to spend billions of dollars on power infrastructure only for the enemies of state to vandalize them. No country grows or develops without the power sector. So, NSCDC, it is time for you to play your part in the Power sector”.
He spoke Friday in Abuja at the Passing out Parade and inauguration of the second batch of the Commandant General’s Mining Marshals who had undergone an 8-week intensive and rigorous training for the protection of Mining sites across the country.
“We are ready and I believe NSCDC is equal to the task. You are doing well I solid minerals. Next time I come here I want to see Power Rangers – personnel that will protect investments in the power sector.
“We will take this sector by sector. I have decided that the solution for you to accomplishing your mandate is sectorization of your responsibilities. We are Solid Minerals. From here we will go to the Power and Energy sector, and from there we will go to the Agriculture sector”.
On his part, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Dele Alake acknowledged the creativity and focus of the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Audi for developing more forces and more capacity for the attainment of the critical objectives of enforcing the provisions of the Mining and Mineral Act 2007 and other extant laws.
He said no one could have imagined the plight of licence owners who could neither engage in the exploration or mining of the cadastral units of their licences because bandits had defied the laws by occupying such spaces illegally.
Alake noted that since the inauguration of the mining marshals, they have provided relief by deploying themselves to successfully recover such places and enable the owners to resume legitimate businesses.
According to him, the illegal haulage of minerals has come under close scrutiny as arrests are made daily and the culprits are facing prosecution in the courts of law.