Military Mortuaries Face Disturbing Decay Amid Power Outages, Chief Of Army Staff Expresses Concern

Military Mortuaries Face Disturbing Decay Amid Power Outages, Chief Of Army Staff Expresses Concern....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The Nigerian Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adekola Adelabu, has given assurance of his commitment to engage in discussions with Distribution Companies (DISCOs) with the aim of alleviating the Nigerian Army’s electricity debt burden, which currently stands at N42 billion……..CONTINUE READING

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The Minister conveyed this commitment during a meeting on Thursday, February 22, when the Chief of Army Staff (CAS), Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, sought intervention regarding the mounting debt. Lagbaja emphasized the security implications of power outages in army barracks and cantonments.

According to the Minister’s Special Adviser on Strategic Communication and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji, the Minister stressed the importance of liquidity and funding in the power sector. He acknowledged that the accumulated debts could not be outrightly waived, but expressed willingness to explore debt restructuring if the Nigerian Army could assure regular payments.

Adelabu also highlighted that the challenges facing the power sector extend beyond debts owed by distribution and generating companies (DISCOs and GENCOs). Issues such as infrastructure vandalization leading to national grid collapses, theft, billing inefficiencies, poor metering, gas supply shortages, and the destruction of transmission stations in volatile areas contribute to the sector’s challenges.

Acknowledging that power outages are a national issue affecting not only army barracks, but the entire country, the Minister appealed to DISCOs and GENCOs, emphasizing their profit-oriented nature. He urged them to consider adopting a monthly repayment plan rather than embedding the entire debt into their meters.

The Minister pledged to collaborate with the Army and seek support from development partners for the installation of Solar PVs and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) as alternative power sources in army barracks and cantonments. He encouraged the Army to continue assisting the Ministry in safeguarding power facilities across the nation.

Earlier in the meeting, the Chief of Army Staff highlighted the severe consequences of power outages in army formations and barracks. Lagbaja expressed regret that some barracks and cantonments had been in total blackout since January, leading to issues such as decomposing corpses in army mortuaries. He stressed the impossibility of the Army raising funds to pay the entire debt and sought liquidation, drawing a parallel with a similar action taken in 2005 by the then-President. Lagbaja assured the Minister of the army’s unwavering support in developing intelligence strategies to curb electricity infrastructure vandalism.

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