The epileptic power supply being experienced across the country recently took a turn for the worse with the citizens and residents lamenting a downturn in businesses. This, according to analysts, has o criminality under the cover of darkness and frustrations. PAUL OKAH reports.
In the creation story, as written in the book of Genesis, when God said “let there be light, there was light.”
Pathetically, in Nigeria, except if you are generating electricity through private means, it is usually a tall call to expect light for your basic needs as electricity distribution companies (DisCos) have seemingly sworn to an oath to frustrate Nigerians through darkness.
Across the country, especially in the FCT, it is difficult, if not impossible , to enjoy power supply for up to 10 hours in a day, as the national grid appears to collapse every other day.
DisCos appear to be enjoying the excuse of telling disenchanted customers about poor generating capacity as many consumers, without prepaid metres, are ripped off and disconnected if they fail to pay their bills at the end of every month.
Unfortunately, many Nigerians, who can’t meet up with running their businesses with public power supply, especially those involved in petty businesses, have been forced to take into criminal activities.
Darkness encourages insecurity
Artisans and businessmen require constant power supply to provide services, including welders, electricians, among others.
Whereas the power supply is epileptic or unavailable, many artisans turn to fuel to power their devices, but it has become a norm that fuel are either scarce, unavailable or beyond the reach of the poor, forcing many artisans to take to petty stealing or other criminal activities in order to survive.
Speaking with our reporter, a resident of Jahi in the FCT, Mrs. Jennifer Anyaogu, said her area has become porous of recent as a result of criminal activities by undesirable elements.
“We have been living in fear in Jahi for quite some time now. My area is so porous that we don’t even have security in my street as a result of residents not agreeing on employing security men or even paying those employed. Every morning, we wake up to news of how one house or the other was attacked by thieves and valuables stolen.
“Of course, the thieves are young boys, with some of them known. One of them, a notorious welder, was once caught stealing and gave excuses of how lack of power supply had forced him into crime, claiming he has been getting little or no patronage as a result of lack of light to work. Pathetically, his younger brother had died last year December as a result of the internal bleeding he had received from youths and security agents after he was repeatedly caught stealing. Honestly, I can’t wait to pack out from the area when my rent expires,’ she said.
Citizens react to darkness, poverty
On May 31, at the inauguration of the Carbon Chamber Project (CCB) conference organised by the National Chamber Policy Centre of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), the Country Director, Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI), Dr. Joe Abah, said that electrifying rural communities was best way of moving people out of poverty.
While emphasising the need for alternative energy sources, he expressed concern over recent power outages that affected businesses in the country, saying “most of us living in Abuja have been having electricity issues for the past few days.”
“I reached out to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) to find out what is going on and what has been the problem. It has really affected self-employed people like the welders and people who rely on electricity for their day to day living. This is why DAI has worked very closely with the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria (REA) to look at how we can scale up the ability to bring energy to Nigeria,” he said.
Also, a former minister of aviation, Osita Chidoka, in a post on his verified Facebook page on June 5, questioned the epileptic power supply, saying that crime is on the increase.
He wrote, “Can those in the power sector explain what is going on to me? This week Abuja Electricity Disco provided power for 2hrs on Sunday , 12hrs on Monday, 4hrs on Tuesday , 6hrs Wednesday & 8hrs for Thursday to today Friday to my neighbourhood in Abuja; averaging 5+ hours a day which translates to about 18 hours of darkness daily. Power sector collapse?
“While we are discussing 2023, I want to remind Mr President and the APC government that: The Kaduna rail kidnapped victims are still hostages, the Naira is depreciating daily, fuel scarcity is now permanent, kidnappings and killings are on the rise, food prices are skyrocketing.”
Lamentations
Many residents of the FCT have urged the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) to ensure equitable distribution of power in its franchise area, saying the blackout had crippled their businesses.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the residents pleaded with the AEDC to ensure that the little allocation of power that was being generated was distributed equitably across the territory.
Electricity Consumers residing in Nyanya, Kubwa, Apo, Gwarinpa and environs said they were aware that AEDC’s power allocation had dropped, but appealed for equity among its customers.
A resident of Apo Legislative Quarters, Mrs. Ochuko Oghenekaro, said though AEDC’s load allocation had reduced, but they should ensure that it was equitably distributed to all, saying that for close to four months, power supply in the legislative quarters had been epileptic.
“At times we don’t have light for 24 hours, while sometimes we get light for just six hours only in two days. One will think that because it is legislative quarters light will be 24 hours,’’ she said.
A resident of Apo New Site, Mr. Amos Alabi, said for weeks, the estate had not been supplied light for more than two hours a day, while for some days they don’t even get it at all.
“I know there is low power supply currently ongoing in the country, so if they want to give us light for two hours, so be it, and not that some will have and others don’t have,” he said.
Also, a banker, who resides at Gwarinpa, Mr. Chris Ogbebor, said the electricity situation in the area had worsened in the last three months, saying that for over three weeks, they had light for just few hours and this had adversely affected him.
“You know I am a banker and I close late from work, I only cook once a week every Saturday but with this light situation I cannot do that. I am appealing to AEDC to give us light even for two or three hours a day,” he said.
On her part, a civil servant residing at Kubwa, Mrs. Erica Ekama, said the light situation in the area was worrisome, adding that since June 2, they have not had light for more than five hours, describing the development as sickening and urged AEDC to do something about it by ensuring the little allocation they get is effectively distributed.
According to her, “I know about the low power supply and load-shedding but I will be happy if AEDC can give us light for more than five hours a day.”
Also, in Kubwa, a fashion designer, Mrs Patience Oloko, said the lack of stable electricity supply in the area has continued to affect her business. She said she now finds it difficult to meet her customers’ needs, adding that it is very difficult for her to sew as her generator is faulty and appealed to AEDC to do something about the present light situation in the territory.
FG, AEDC’s reactions
However, the federal government has attributed the current drop in electricity generation to the partial shutdown of Oben Gas Plant in Edo.
Malam Isa Sanusi, the special adviser, media affairs to the Minister of Power in a statement last week said the shutdown was to repair critical gas processing equipment, revealing that the incident unfortunately occurred at a time when other power plants and other gas sources were undergoing planned maintenance and capacity testing.
“We wish to notify the public that Seplat Energy Plc has mobilised equipment, materials and personnel to site with a view to expediting the restoration of normal gas supply to the affected power plants. We have been assured that the repair work would be concluded this weekend and normalcy will be restored,’’ he said.
