FCT residents lament persistent power outage

Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), especially in satellite towns, have expressed concern over persistent power outage. Some of the residents, who spoke with our reporter, said the continued power outage from the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) had paralysed socio-economic activities. A resident of Anguwar Dodo Community in Gwagwalada Area Council, Isaac Musa, […]

Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), especially in satellite towns, have expressed concern over persistent power outage.

Some of the residents, who spoke with our reporter, said the continued power outage from the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) had paralysed socio-economic activities.

A resident of Anguwar Dodo Community in Gwagwalada Area Council, Isaac Musa, said the area had been without electricity for two weeks.

Musa said lack of stable electricity had also affected those, who were into selling “pure water” and soft drinks, adding that most business owners mostly depended on generators.

He said he spent N1,200 daily to fuel his  generator, even as he alleged that officials of the AEDC brought light bill every month.

A resident of Old Kuntunku in Gwagwalada, Malam Garba Abubakar, said they had been in darkness for over three weeks.

Malam Abubakar said the power outage had also affected many residents, especially those who were into various businesses involving electricity.

He said, “In fact, it was just last week some AEDC officials came to disconnect electricity in this area despite the fact that we have been in darkness for over three weeks. Some angry youths engaged the officials when they climbed poles to disconnect some houses.”

He further said despite several complaints and protests by residents of the area over the persistent power outage, the AEDC had failed to improve on power supply in the area.

Another resident in the area, Mr. Abraham Michael, who produces sachet water, said he spent not less than N3,500 daily to buy diesel for his Lister generator.

A resident of Kwali, Mrs. Abigail James, who sells soft drinks, also complained about power outage, saying the epileptic power supply had been affecting her business.

She said, “During this Ramadan, many of my customers come here to buy pure water and cold drinks to break their fast, but the major challenge I face is that electricity is not stable.”

Mr. Sunday Adawoji, a resident of Sundaba Quarters in Kuje Area Council, also complained over lack of power in the area, saying residents had been in darkness for two weeks.

A welder, Mr. Ajakaiye Balogun, said lack of electricity had been affecting his welding work, saying he bought diesel daily for his generator to carry out some work.

He said he woke up in the middle of the night whenever there was electricity to carry out some work.

Similarly, in Abaji Area Council, residents have also been facing persistent  outage. Some of the residents who spoke with our reporter said the power outage had continued to cripple their businesses.

A resident, Yakubu Aliyu, said the power supply had not been encouraging for the past three weeks, saying many residents mostly depended on generators.

He said, “For the past three weeks we have been in darkness until three days ago when they gave light in the morning till the following day. And since then, we have not seen light again.”

Aliyu added that the absence of electricity had also contributed to water scarcity, saying many households patronised water vendors or water tankers.

Reacting, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the AEDC, Oyebode Fadipe, said there has been improvement in power supply across the satellite towns especially in Abaji, Kwali, Gwagwalada and Kuje in recent times.

He said the power outage experienced in the area three weeks ago was caused damage to some high tension poles by rainstorm.