By: Felix Ikpotor
As a result of the incessant cases of manhole cover theft in Port Harcourt City Council in Rivers State, authorities of the council has placed a bounty of one hundred thousand Naira on each manhole cover thief caught within the metropolis.
The bounty also covers any trace to buyers of the stolen manholes within the Port Harcourt metropolis.
Chairman of the council, Ezebunwo Ichemati made the announcement following the arrest of a suspected manhole cover thief at the Abali (CFC) flyover axis of Port Harcourt by a vigilante in the Ogbum-nu-Abali community in Port Harcourt LGA.
Ichemati stated that aside from the millions of naira that it would cost the council to replace the stolen manhole covers in Port Harcourt, it also poses a security threat to people of the council and road users.
He noted that there have also been reports of children falling into open manholes as a result of the activities of manhole thieves, thanking the vigilante group for apprehending the suspect
Ichemati said it was quite unfortunate for vibrant young men
who should toe the line of legality and fend for themselves to resort to
vandalizing government property.
“It’s a sad one that across the length and breadth of Port Harcourt City local government, you see these daredevil individuals; they vandalize all the manholes. And apart from vandalizing these manholes, it also causes security threats, because vehicles who are not smart enough and did not see them early will move into it, and you don’t know what will happen when you have a follow up vehicle behind.
“Across Port Harcourt City Local Government, we have over 100 manholes that have been stolen. I did my count and that manhole will be costing the local government about 20 million Naira to fix. This is money that can be channeled into other things,” he said.
The council boss said the present suspect brings to two, the number of persons so far apprehended by the council in the act.
“I moved around, caught one before, and this particular person now is the second person that will be apprehended. And thanks to the vigilante, the young man decided to move beyond where he’s covering to go as far as catching this person.
“And today, we’ll be placing a bounty that anybody that gives a link or information to how these manhole thieves or those who buy the covers from them will be caught will be given the sum of 100,000 Naira,” Ichemati added.
