Africa-Press – Angola. The direct costs of replacing materials and the lack of electricity supply resulting from acts of public vandalism are estimated at between 90 and 140 million US dollars annually, informed the National
Director of Electric Energy, Diógenes Diogo, in Luanda.
The official was speaking at a panel of the Colloquium on Measures for the Prevention and Combat of Vandalism of Public Goods and Services, promoted by the Military Office of the President of the Republic.
The event was opened by the Minister of State and Head of the Military Office of the President of the Republic, Francisco Pereira Furtado.
On the occasion, Diógenes Diogo said that the economic impact of this phenomenon on the sector is not limited only to the cost of replacing equipment and materials, but also to the losses resulting from the lack of electricity supply nationwide.
He emphasized that the direct costs of replacing materials alone, such as electrical cables, and repairing towers, transformers, and cabinets, result in annual losses ranging from 40 to 60 million dollars.
He further stressed that the cost of unused energy, which prevents neighborhoods, businesses, and other institutions from carrying out their activities, is estimated at between 50 and 80 million USD annually.
“Businesses lose revenue because power outages force everything to shut down. Hospitals are left without electricity, and the two companies, ENDE and RNT, suffer financial losses and capital amortization of investments made by the State,” he lamented.
In this regard, Diógenes Diogo suggested rigorous regulation of the scrap metal market, improving and enhancing the measures taken, as well as rigorously tracking the origin of materials and using line monitoring technologies.
The event addressed measures for preventing and combating vandalism of public property and services in Angola. It is part of the Angolan state’s measures to strengthen the protection of public assets and ensure the sustainability of investments made in essential infrastructure and services.
The initiative included a panel discussion on “Vandalism of public property and services and its economic and social impacts.”
The event was attended by representatives of the auxiliary bodies of the President of the Republic, members of the National Assembly, judicial
magistrates and members of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Ombudsman, the Defense and Security bodies, the Local State Administration, as well as religious leaders, academics, and civil society organizations.
