Luanda — Acts of vandalism and theft of equipment and components of the electrical and water system in Angola have caused, annually, losses valued at more than 50 million US dollars, a fact that makes the implementation of new projects to expand the electrical network in the country unfeasible.
The fact was revealed Thursday, in Luanda, by the Minister of Energy and Water, João Baptista Borges, who said that this amount would be used to build other electricity and water distribution networks and serve a greater number of inhabitants.
In an interview with ANGOP, the government official said that, in recent times, acts of vandalism and theft have taken on alarming dimensions, and in addition to the direct financial losses to the State, families temporarily stop benefiting from energy and water, while companies experience drops in their billing.
According to the Minister, equipment in the energy and water sector has a high cost and is mostly imported.
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As an example, he highlighted that the theft of suction cups, a piece used to guarantee pressure in water pipes, costs around 500 thousand dollars, but once stolen they are sold in weighing houses for five thousand kwanzas.
He also recalled the recent vandalism and theft that occurred in the 28 energy transmission towers, in the province of Malanje, causing a loss of more than seven million dollars.
For these and other criminal acts, João Baptista Borges understands that there is an urgent need to increase the penalties for the vandalization of public property, to speed up these cases in court and for citizens to adopt the stance of reporting, because in the end it is the populations that suffer from the lack of these services.
The Minister highlighted that acts of a criminal nature are replicated daily across the country, causing millions of dollars in losses to the State.
He said that this concern cannot only be addressed by the sector, by police and judicial bodies, but that there must be everyone’s engagement.
“This is one of the sector’s biggest challenges that should concern everyone, because the risk we run is taking two steps forward and one step back, delaying the country’s growth and development”, he appealed.
During the interview, minister João Baptista Borges reported the main gains that the sector has obtained over the 50 years and projected the future of the sector he heads. OPF/QCB/DOJ
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