Small
business operators and residents in parts of the country have continued to
decry the almost total power outage in their area, which has almost paralysed
business activities.
The
development they said had impacted negatively on both their economic and social
lives.
According
to them, they can no longer make ends meet as it has become difficult for them
to cater for the needs of their families.
From
Jigawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Kaduna and so many other states, the story is the same.
The
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the power outage which cuts across
almost all parts of the country has lingered for over two months.
It
would be recalled that the Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu said that the
blackout being experienced in the country was due to low supply of gas to the
power generating companies.
He,
however, assured Nigerians that the Federal Government was working to ensure
outstanding payments were made to the companies to resolve the blackout.
According
to him, the payments will ensure improved gas supply and increased power
generation.
“This
will also enable distribution companies to supply more electricity to Nigerians.
“We
acknowledge the current unsustainable situation, and we expect a turnaround
immediately,” he said.
According
to the minister, efforts are being made to ensure quick resolution of the
blackout being presently experienced in some parts of the country.
Adelabu
had also met with some chief executive officers of Electricity Distribution
Companies (DisCos) over worsening power supply in their regions.
Mr
Sule Abdulazeez, the Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN)
also attended the meeting.
According
to the minister, the management of other non-performing distribution companies
will also be queried over non-performance as reports continue to filter in on
situation in their regions.
“The
ministry expects power supply to have improved across the country, as opposed
to current experience in some regions.
“Findings
revealed that some distribution companies are deliberately not taking up power
supply from TCN, while some power lines have also been damaged by vandals in
Abuja, Benin, Port Harcourt and Ibadan regions,’’ he said
In
Dutse, business owners said they were almost losing their businesses due to the
poor power situation being faced in the state.
Some
of them, who spoke to NAN, said that they had to rely on generator to run their
businesses.
Mr
Aminu Inuwa, said: “if we use generator to produce ice block and other ice
products, especially during Ramadan, the ordinary masses will not be able to
afford the products due to high cost.
“The
situation is getting worse by the day, for some weeks now, many of us have
actually lost hope.
According
to him, with the excess heat in Dutse and environs, people are finding it
difficult to cope without cold products, especially ice block.
Mrs
Regina Markus, a resident of Mopol Base in Dutse, who operates a grinding
machine also decried the blackout, saying that she had been out of business for
over a week.
She
lamented that diesel was costly and so she only relied on power supply.
An
Engineer, Salim Tijjani, advised the government to provide alternative source
of energy to address the situation in the country.
He
said alternative power supply such as solar or wind energy, was some ways to
resolve the power issues in the country.
“There
is the need for governments to invest in alternative source of power supply.
Meanwhile,
a staff of Kano Electricity Distribution Company in Jigawa who pleaded
anonymity
Assured
residents that stakeholders in the Power Distirbution sector were working hard
to resolve the situation, and urged Nigerians to be patient and show
understanding.
Small
business owners in Gombe decry poor electricity supply, others turn to solar
In
Gombe State, many residents said that the almost total blackout had affected
their businesses, thereby, causing them more hardship.
Mrs
Ijeoma John, a resident of Yelenguruza, who sells drinks and ice block, said
power supply in recent time had been poor and she hardly sold her drinks.
John
said the power supply challenge should be addressed to help cushion the
economic impact of fuel subsidy removal and to help businesses to thrive.
“I
make N10, 000 daily from selling soft drinks and pure water before now, because
my drinks were always chilled but now things are different.
“I
normally use generator to power my shop so I can get my drinks cooled enough for
customers but since the subsidy was removed, I now rely on Jos DisCo.
“But
for some weeks now, the supply has been consistently dropping and the supply is
always low current and this has affected my business because the weather is hot,”
he said.
For
Hauwa Hassan, who sells ice block said in 2023, she made nearly N40, 000 from
selling the commodity during Ramadan fast but now, “I doubt if I will get supply
to keep the business up.”
Hassan
said Ramadan season is always her peak season for business but “with the low
current being supplied for between four and five hours per day, it is really
frustrating for me.”
Ms
Nancy Bitrus, a tailor in Nasarawo community said she loses an average of
N6,000 daily as a result of poor supply.
According
to Bitrus, we need light to iron and do designs as we sew but we don’t get
power regularly, infact before you iron one cloth, the light is out.”
For
Mrs Comfort Ola, a kunu and sobo drinks seller, it was a tale of losses and
temporary suspension of her business until supply improves.
Ola
said she normally makes N2,000 profit daily from selling her commodity which
according to her, remained her major source of income to support her household.
“Last
week, my drinks got sour because of poor power supply and I lost my capital in the
process, so for now, I have suspended the business.
For
Ibrahim Musa, a barber in Yelenguruza said the consistently poor power supply
forced him to get a solar panel which cost him almost N330, 000 two years ago
and since then he had never had issues with power.
NAN
observed that many of the provision and chemist shops in Gombe metropolis and
suburbs have turned to solar energy for their energy need, especially for
lighting and other charging purposes.
Mr
Isyaka Ibrahim, who is into solar panel installation said there was growing
demand for solar energy because of the epileptic power supply.
Ibrahim
said within a week he gets up to eight calls for solar panel installation
compared to before the power situation.
“The
demand for solar is growing daily because of poor supply and it (solar) is the
most reliable and cost-effective for small businesses that need the energy to
light up their shops.”
Reacting
to the complaints, Mr Abdullahi Hussaini, Jos Electricity Distribution Company
(JED)’s Regional Network Engineer, Gombe State said JED was as concerned as its
customers.
Hussaini
described the situation as a national issue that had nothing to do with JED,
adding that customers could only get supply based on what was allocated to
them.
He
said that whatever they got in terms of allocation was what they distributed to
numerous customers in their franchise area.
According
to him, the 30megawatts that is allocated to Gombe State is being distributed
across the state.
“We
have about 28 feeders in Gombe both 33kv and 11.
“One
of our major feeders, that is the 33kv alone, can accommodate the supply being
allocated to the whole state, and that is why we are rationing the allocation.
“We
are concerned too because we need this allocation to be in business and make
our customers happy.
“We
are service providers, without customers, we are nothing.
He
appealed to customers and business owners in the state to be patient, adding
that as soon as supply improves, they would feel the impact.
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