Birnin Kebbi residents have decried incessant power outage caused by Kaduna Electric Distribution Company (KAEDCO), which according to them, has paralysed socio-economic activities in the area.
The situation has become very unbearable and the people have results to call on the State government, National Electricity Regulatory Commission, Human Right Commission and the Civil Society Organisation for intervention because as they see it the KAEDCO in Kebbi is directly starving the people of electricity supply for no fault of their own.
What happened like epileptic power supply began as a partial power outage affecting some areas of Birnin Kebbi metropolis but later turned out to be almost total blackout occurring in all parts of the metropolis.
The worsening situation as a result of KAEDCO’s ineptitude and corruption has adversely turned people’s lives miserable such that Residents sleep under extreme heat due to power outages, a situation that’s threatening lives of people health-wise, children and adults, could not sleep in extremely hot weather, people are so worried and expressed dismay over denial of their rights by the electricity distribution body to make use of their electronics and electrical appliances as a result of the constant power failure.
Businessmen and shop owners are badly affected, the excessive power outage has almost crippled their businesses due to insufficient supply of power on daily basis.
The most affected are the fashion designers and cold drinks sellers, especially in this month of Ramadan fasting, small Sallah is fast approaching, this is the period that people’s demands for cold drinks and designer fabrics are in high demand.
The Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KAEDCO) had on several occasions complained of nonpayments of electricity bills by consumers which the company claimed to be largely responsible for the insufficient power supply across the metropolis.
A survey conducted recently in some areas of Birnin Kebbi metropolis by some concerned citizens indicated that the customers of KAEDCO are paying their electricity bills regularly as against the claim of nonpayments made by the company. Still, the company is yet to respond to the result of the recent survey.
Apart from the claim for nonpayments of electricity bills by the customers, KAEDCO also attributed the insufficient power supply to the heat season, which according to the company has resulted to overheating of power transformers and forced the company to adopt power-sharing system (load shading) to avoid faults, damages and fire outbreaks.
Some Residents of Birnin Kebbi metropolis from areas such as Tudun Wada, Illela-yari, Makera Gandu, Nassarawa 1 and 11 as well as Bayan Kara and Bayan Oando respectively, expressed disappointment with the insufficient power supply by the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company which they described as worrisome situation.
Narrating their ordeals, the Residents revealed that they are sleeping without electricity in most cases, children and aged live in critical conditions as they could not stand the extreme heat caused by the situation.
They, however, appealed to the KAEDCO to review its system of power supply for possible changes, and as well called for interventions of the National Electricity Regulatory Commission NERC and other concerned authorities.
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