Gombe communities are suffering from constant power outage

Electricity is one of the important and critical social amenities. It is one of the basic services that must be provided for people of a nation as human beings. The non-provision of this essential as codified in the Second Schedule Part 2, Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as […]

Electricity is one of the important and critical social amenities. It is one of the basic services that must be provided for people of a nation as human beings. The non-provision of this essential as codified in the Second Schedule Part 2, Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended will amount to neglect of duty and violation of citizens’ right by the state government. Such an essential must be one of the prime concerns of the government. 

In recent times, there has been considerable improvement in electricity supply in Nigeria. This improvement is not unconnected with the federal government’s efforts on grid expansion and rehabilitation of sub-stations across the country to avoid load rejection from distribution companies (discos), which may lead to grid collapse.  

Secondly, the efforts are geared towards addressing power allotment to the respective discos according to their load capacity and to track payment.  

Besides, the Electricity Power Sector Reform (EPSR) Act of 2005 empowered the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission to ensure efficient management of electricity supply. The same act provides that all customers have the right to electricity supply in a safe and reliable manner. 

However, in Gombe State, there has been a major violation of this right including the service reflective tariff. Despite the improvement of electrical power supply in the country, Gombe South has an epileptic electricity supply. 

Many people in the area find it hard to believe that there has been a nationwide improvement in supply because the situation remains the same if not worse than before. To add salt to the injury, some communities in Kaltungo East are currently contributing almost N1000, 000 for the purchase of a faulty part of the transformer  supplying light to the communities contrary to the consumers’ right under EPSR Act. 

Thus, the poor protracted epileptic power supply to the area has a negative impact on healthcare and the economic well-being of the people. Many medium and small scale enterprises have been grounded. They could no longer cope with the increasing prices of fuel to run their businesses. Prices of goods that are produced or preserved by electric power are skyrocketing, which is affecting the purchasing power of the consumers. 

This has led to idleness among the youths, especially those engaged in aluminium fabrication, metal construction, ice fish trading. 

Leaving the issue unaddressed is a major setback to the zone. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander. With its increasing population, there’s the need for a sub-station that will reliably distribute power across the zone. 

Alternative means of generating power like non-grid power and solar systems will go a long way in addressing the power shortage problem being experienced in the zone. Government should rise up to its responsibility and give the zone a sense of belonging. 

James Jauro Sanda, Dapartment of Mass Communication, Borno State University.