Yahaya Moh’d Usman
The issue of lack of electricity that has pervaded almost all northern states is a national security risk northern governors are playing with. If they do not do something to resolve it, it has the potential to unite the masses with a call to action across the North and even Nigeria.
Recall that EndSARS started from complaints, to mobilizing and to civil disobedience that almost brought Nigeria to its knees.
Electricity supply is an important economic issue, the life of every Nigerian is tied to it. Toying with it is playing with fire.
Most of the state governors that should be in the vanguard for negotiating power supply to their states are more comfortable wasting state resources on unrealistic palliatives, festive durbar and frequent social gatherings: flying private jets and long motorcades.
The money spent on some convoys in a year is enough to provide 24 hours electricity to some states.
A respondent in Gombe for instance told me it’s been almost 48 hours since they had electricity last.
They get electricity at intervals – 2 or 4 hours and that’s all. Same state, the governor is spendinbillions… “Gombe Approves N14.9Billion For New ‘Ultra-modern Governor’s Residence…”
In Minna, for almost 24 hours sometimes there is no electricity. In local government areas the stories are worse. Lapai for instance hardly gets supply and when they get, its low voltage, same as Bida.
Recently in Kontagora, the stakeholders had to call a meeting to find ways to solve the issues of lack of electricity.
In Ilorin, capital of Kwara State, a respondent told me they spend 3 days sometimes with no electricity and when it comes, it’s mostly just for 4 hours and it’s gone again.
In Katsina State the story is almost the same, no electricity supply, Katsina with over seven million people, almost all the factories are closed down and the government celebrates sharing food palliatives; too bad from a governor who was a former SMEDAN boss and a PhD holder.
In Kano, the story is bad. A population of almost 15 million, merely three hours of electricity is supplied in 24 hours and some areas go with no single supply for a whole month. A respondent in Kurna said electricity was supplied only four times in the 30 days of Ramadan. Unguwa Uku, Naibawa, Hotoro, Jambulo all suffer the same fate.
In Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, a source said some areas have gone two months with no single power supply, areas like Bulunkutu, Gommari, Airport road, 1000 and 777 housing estates. Worst still, Maiduguri is notorious for extreme heat sometimes going as far as 45 degrees, coupled with recuperation from terrorist activities that took 10 years of the state’s life.
Electricity should be the first item on the list for SMEs to run, else idle youth could descend back into crime.
Adamawa; the situation in Mubi, an LGA in Adamawa is bad, hardly they get two hours of electricity in 24 hours, while Yola the capital city gets between 6 – 8 hours in 24 hours, sometimes.
From Kebbi to Kogi, From Maiduguri to Mokwa, the story of poor electricity supply or total black out is rampant, this has killed several small businesses, throwing millions into joblessness and crime.
I insist that, if only northern governors could come together, cut wastages and corruption they could either subsidize electricity for the masses or even build electricity generation plants across the region.
If the governors fail and the current blackout continues, this could unite the people against them and the consequences are better imagined.
This is one kobo sense, for those with ears and Eyes.