Introduction
A new trend in anti-social behaviour which is rapidly
gaining impetus and
equally spreading to vast areas of the federation is the vandalisation of public property and
utilities. This phenomenon which was
practically unheard of during the first republic, has in the past two decades become a frequent occurrence.
In spite of the legislations against
the vandalisation of public utilities in the country at federal and state
levels, there has not been any significant improvement in this sordid situation.
Rather we have seen a recent upsurge
in the problem in the last few years following
the return to civil rule. The major
targets of the vandalisation are the
country’s oil installations and pipelines, NEPA and NITEL
equipment. Others include water
supply installations, stadium
facilities and fittings in public buildings.
gaining impetus and
equally spreading to vast areas of the federation is the vandalisation of public property and
utilities. This phenomenon which was
practically unheard of during the first republic, has in the past two decades become a frequent occurrence.
In spite of the legislations against
the vandalisation of public utilities in the country at federal and state
levels, there has not been any significant improvement in this sordid situation.
Rather we have seen a recent upsurge
in the problem in the last few years following
the return to civil rule. The major
targets of the vandalisation are the
country’s oil installations and pipelines, NEPA and NITEL
equipment. Others include water
supply installations, stadium
facilities and fittings in public buildings.
The result of these obnoxious activities has been
widespread suffering, economic woes, and environmental degradation.
It is the responsibility
of every well meaning Nigerian citizen to protect public property in his area and
fight against the ugly practice of vandalisation activities,
carried out in the country.
widespread suffering, economic woes, and environmental degradation.
It is the responsibility
of every well meaning Nigerian citizen to protect public property in his area and
fight against the ugly practice of vandalisation activities,
carried out in the country.
Causes of vandalisation
Having noted that vandalisation of public utilities is a
criminal issue, it follows that the people who engage in those
nefarious activities do so for the same reason many other criminal activities are perpetrated.
At the root of this matter is the inordinate ambition of some individuals to get
rich overnight through any possible means legitimate or illegitimate.
Other contributing factors that promote the practice of
vandalisation include the following:-
criminal issue, it follows that the people who engage in those
nefarious activities do so for the same reason many other criminal activities are perpetrated.
At the root of this matter is the inordinate ambition of some individuals to get
rich overnight through any possible means legitimate or illegitimate.
Other contributing factors that promote the practice of
vandalisation include the following:-
1. Poor
economy and wide spread poverty; The poor economic situation in the country has
left a very large percentage of population impoverished when
people are desperately struggling to survive in harsh economic engage
in illegitimate activities. This case of a recent petroleum pipeline breakage in Ntigha
Abia State where the
villagers gleefully joined in scooping free flowing petrol rather than apprehend the men
who damaged the pipeline.
economy and wide spread poverty; The poor economic situation in the country has
left a very large percentage of population impoverished when
people are desperately struggling to survive in harsh economic engage
in illegitimate activities. This case of a recent petroleum pipeline breakage in Ntigha
Abia State where the
villagers gleefully joined in scooping free flowing petrol rather than apprehend the men
who damaged the pipeline.
2. Unemployment;
This is a major ingredient for crime. As it is said that an idle mind is a devil’s
workshop. The employment rate in the country as we know is very high and is not abating
with more and more youths coming out of schools and universities only to
roam the streets in search of some means of livelihood. This situation no doubt encourages
anti-social behaviours including the vandalisation of public utilities.
This is a major ingredient for crime. As it is said that an idle mind is a devil’s
workshop. The employment rate in the country as we know is very high and is not abating
with more and more youths coming out of schools and universities only to
roam the streets in search of some means of livelihood. This situation no doubt encourages
anti-social behaviours including the vandalisation of public utilities.
3. Corruption;
wide spread corruption in the public and private sector and by government
officials is another contributing factor to this problem. As
mentioned earlier the vandalisation of NEPA properties could not be made possible without the involvement of
NEPA officials who possesses the technical
skills to install or dismantle poor transformers
and transmission cables it also requires a corrupt merchant to
accept to buy
or resell those equipment which he is clearly aware that is stolen public property
judging from the person offering it for sale. The post-independent era in the country especially the long period
of military rule
has been characterized by widespread
looting of the National treasury by government functionaries. Apart from the
economic woes it has
brought to the country and the
impoverishment of the populace, another
unfortunate consequence of
this institutionalized corruption is that many people began to see public funds and public properties as things
that are just there for the taking. To
many people the stealing of public
fund or property is no longer a crime but the way of getting ones share of the National cake which has
been in the hands of a few for long.
wide spread corruption in the public and private sector and by government
officials is another contributing factor to this problem. As
mentioned earlier the vandalisation of NEPA properties could not be made possible without the involvement of
NEPA officials who possesses the technical
skills to install or dismantle poor transformers
and transmission cables it also requires a corrupt merchant to
accept to buy
or resell those equipment which he is clearly aware that is stolen public property
judging from the person offering it for sale. The post-independent era in the country especially the long period
of military rule
has been characterized by widespread
looting of the National treasury by government functionaries. Apart from the
economic woes it has
brought to the country and the
impoverishment of the populace, another
unfortunate consequence of
this institutionalized corruption is that many people began to see public funds and public properties as things
that are just there for the taking. To
many people the stealing of public
fund or property is no longer a crime but the way of getting ones share of the National cake which has
been in the hands of a few for long.
4.
The attitude of the society towards wealth;
the undue emphasis and adoration placed on wealth by the society is
another
contributing factor to the problem of vandalisation. The lack of
accountability and transparency in our society today has made people to
worship money and those who flaunt ill-gotten wealth publicly. This
new phenomenon whish
has even bastardized our traditional institutions, with the men of
questionable character buying up Cheiftancy titles, has made our people to
turn a blind eye from them.
The attitude of the society towards wealth;
the undue emphasis and adoration placed on wealth by the society is
another
contributing factor to the problem of vandalisation. The lack of
accountability and transparency in our society today has made people to
worship money and those who flaunt ill-gotten wealth publicly. This
new phenomenon whish
has even bastardized our traditional institutions, with the men of
questionable character buying up Cheiftancy titles, has made our people to
turn a blind eye from them.
5.
Inadequate security; lapses
in the security
of public utilities makes them
vulnerable to vandalization. The nature
of many of the public utilities, make them difficult to police except by those
living around the vicinity, while the
infrastructures themselves do not have in built security devices.
However, this brings us to the next factor which is:
Inadequate security; lapses
in the security
of public utilities makes them
vulnerable to vandalization. The nature
of many of the public utilities, make them difficult to police except by those
living around the vicinity, while the
infrastructures themselves do not have in built security devices.
However, this brings us to the next factor which is:
6. The
attitude of the people towards public property. The erroneous
impression that the care of public property is government business, which in turn is
no man’s business, does not help matters. Many Nigerians watch
the infrastructure
provided by government to save them being tempered with by miscreants and yet
they do nothing. This is very bad because in the end everybody is
the problem that has been created.
attitude of the people towards public property. The erroneous
impression that the care of public property is government business, which in turn is
no man’s business, does not help matters. Many Nigerians watch
the infrastructure
provided by government to save them being tempered with by miscreants and yet
they do nothing. This is very bad because in the end everybody is
the problem that has been created.
The harmful effects of vandalisation
The vandalisation of public infrastructure
and utilities cannot be discussed without the wide spread and far reaching
effects on the environment and society in general. It is
worthy of note here that the term environment does not refer only to
the physical environment but the total environment which is total set
of circumstances,
surrounding and organism at any point in time on earth. This encompasses all the
physical*, chemical, biotic and abiotic, social, cultural, economic
conditions etc which interplay to shape the life of the organism (in this case man).
In view of this far-reaching effect in many aspects
of the environment and societal life.
These include;
and utilities cannot be discussed without the wide spread and far reaching
effects on the environment and society in general. It is
worthy of note here that the term environment does not refer only to
the physical environment but the total environment which is total set
of circumstances,
surrounding and organism at any point in time on earth. This encompasses all the
physical*, chemical, biotic and abiotic, social, cultural, economic
conditions etc which interplay to shape the life of the organism (in this case man).
In view of this far-reaching effect in many aspects
of the environment and societal life.
These include;
(a) Damage to the
infrastructure; this is the first and primary effect of vandalisation. The damage to
infrastructure means that they will cease to function, which
creates a situation similar to the non-provision of such
facilities.
infrastructure; this is the first and primary effect of vandalisation. The damage to
infrastructure means that they will cease to function, which
creates a situation similar to the non-provision of such
facilities.
(b)
Disruption of services; when public
infrastructure is damaged or stolen, be it NEPA, equipment, oil line,
water installation etc. it always results in disruption of
normal services. Most of the public utilities in the country that do
not provide services are damaged.
Several cases of fuel scarcity in the country have been attributed to
the consequences of vandalisation of oil pipelines. Recently the whole Eastern
Region of the country was thrown into darkness for a whole week
because of the activities of vandals who stole the power
cables linking the region to the rest of the National grid in
Delta state.
Disruption of services; when public
infrastructure is damaged or stolen, be it NEPA, equipment, oil line,
water installation etc. it always results in disruption of
normal services. Most of the public utilities in the country that do
not provide services are damaged.
Several cases of fuel scarcity in the country have been attributed to
the consequences of vandalisation of oil pipelines. Recently the whole Eastern
Region of the country was thrown into darkness for a whole week
because of the activities of vandals who stole the power
cables linking the region to the rest of the National grid in
Delta state.
(c)
Economic
losses; whenever public
infrastructure are vandalised, the
economy is adversely affected since most of the
infrastructure that are
vandalised are incentive infrastructure
(i.e. they generated revenue for the government or other private sector entrepreneur that operate them) their damage and subsequent disruption of service
result in loss of revenue to the
government. This is a major cause of low economic productivity. In addition to this there is also the capital cost
of repairs, or replacement of the vandalized infrastructure, which also impacts on the economy
in terms of unbudgeted expenditure by
the government.
Economic
losses; whenever public
infrastructure are vandalised, the
economy is adversely affected since most of the
infrastructure that are
vandalised are incentive infrastructure
(i.e. they generated revenue for the government or other private sector entrepreneur that operate them) their damage and subsequent disruption of service
result in loss of revenue to the
government. This is a major cause of low economic productivity. In addition to this there is also the capital cost
of repairs, or replacement of the vandalized infrastructure, which also impacts on the economy
in terms of unbudgeted expenditure by
the government.
Vandalisation of oil pipelines always results in oil
spillage into the surrounding areas and this is a very serious
case of pollution. Oil is very difficult to clean up once it gets
into the environment. Oil spillage causes land and water pollution. In most
cases it leads to land degradation. Fire out breaks resulting from the oil
spillage destroys lives and properties, causes air pollution, destruction of several tvoes of
ecosvstem and loss of biodiversity. The incident at Jesse village still
evokes horrible memories of a holocaust triggered by callous vandalism.
spillage into the surrounding areas and this is a very serious
case of pollution. Oil is very difficult to clean up once it gets
into the environment. Oil spillage causes land and water pollution. In most
cases it leads to land degradation. Fire out breaks resulting from the oil
spillage destroys lives and properties, causes air pollution, destruction of several tvoes of
ecosvstem and loss of biodiversity. The incident at Jesse village still
evokes horrible memories of a holocaust triggered by callous vandalism.
Solving the problem of vandalisation
The act of vandalising public infrastructure is
anti-progressive and anti-developmental. It is a clear case of economic
sabotage, which calls for the commitment of well meaning
Nigerian to put a stop to it. No country develops by destroying
their infrastructure and resource base.
anti-progressive and anti-developmental. It is a clear case of economic
sabotage, which calls for the commitment of well meaning
Nigerian to put a stop to it. No country develops by destroying
their infrastructure and resource base.
The first thing the government has to do is to fight the
monster of corruption to a stand still. There should be practical
accountability and transparency in both the public and private sectors. This
will restore the confidence
of Nigerian in the leadership of the country and heal the bruised psyche of the
nation. As of now the general impression is that our society is one where
anything goes.
monster of corruption to a stand still. There should be practical
accountability and transparency in both the public and private sectors. This
will restore the confidence
of Nigerian in the leadership of the country and heal the bruised psyche of the
nation. As of now the general impression is that our society is one where
anything goes.
The government should do everything within it’s power to
bridge the wide gap
between the rich and the poor. The people whose resources are used to enrich
the nation should not be denied their share of the ‘national cake’. They should be given a sense
of belonging which will encourage them to
protect these resources and
infrastructure in their area.
bridge the wide gap
between the rich and the poor. The people whose resources are used to enrich
the nation should not be denied their share of the ‘national cake’. They should be given a sense
of belonging which will encourage them to
protect these resources and
infrastructure in their area.
There should be public education using the mass media to
make the people
understand that government property is not ‘no-man’s property’ but
‘everybody’s property’. They should therefore be vigilante and protect every utility and
infrastructure in their area; since it is meant to serve them. Culprits
apprehended for vandalisation of public utilities should
severely be punished to deter prospective vandals
make the people
understand that government property is not ‘no-man’s property’ but
‘everybody’s property’. They should therefore be vigilante and protect every utility and
infrastructure in their area; since it is meant to serve them. Culprits
apprehended for vandalisation of public utilities should
severely be punished to deter prospective vandals
Markers of utility spare parts should be registered while
every existing ‘black
market’ should be effectively stuffed out, this will ensure that vandalised
facilities do not find ready market for their disposal.
every existing ‘black
market’ should be effectively stuffed out, this will ensure that vandalised
facilities do not find ready market for their disposal.
NEPA should ensure that the equipment provided by local communities for
electrification projects or spare parts provided for repair of broken
down equipment are not one vandalised from other community.
electrification projects or spare parts provided for repair of broken
down equipment are not one vandalised from other community.
These strategies we believe will go a long way in curbing the menace of vandalisation, but the key word is
commitment, by both the government
and people.
commitment, by both the government
and people.
