Minister of power promises quick power restoration in Northern Nigeria

In the recent announcement that has brought joy to the people of Northern Nigeria, especially the affected states, the Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu said that the light will be back in the region within the next few days. This declaration has come at the background of a number of blackouts that have occurred in the area, mainly because of vandalism and insecurity issues that affect some of the key transmission lines.

Genesis of the Power Blackout

A situation that would have been ideal for shareholder investment has proved disastrous due to some mishap that occurred in Northern Nigeria, for example, the vandalizing of some of the important structures that support the generation of electricity. In this case, on October 22, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) recorded a system disturbance that impacted the North-East, North-West, and parts of the North-Central region of Nigeria.

This outage was mainly occasioned by the tripping’ of the 330 kV Ugwaji-Apir double-circuit transmission network that is critical in the power distribution network in the region. This situation was aggravated by the destruction of the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line, which, according to some reports, was blown up by insurgents, thereby heavily emaciating the electricity supply.

Minister’s Assurance

Minister Adelabu also noted during a press briefing on October 29 that actions were being taken to commence power restoration. He said,

“I expect that the power will be restored in the North in two to three days. Therefore, we will employ the Ugwuaji-Makurdi transmission line for temporary use.”

This short-term solution seeks to supply electricity to about 80 percent of the affected states while the faulty transmission lines are transformed.

They include a host of security agencies accompanying TCN to access the damaged grid, which has been a herculean task as vandals have taken over the place, according to Adelabu. He promised that “before the end of the next 2 weeks, the repairs will be done and the full supply of electric power will be restored in the North.”

Ongoing Challenges

However, the Minister also recognized some of the drawbacks regarding vandalism and insecurity in the area. He further explained that one of the reasons for the delay in repair was that the Shiroro-Mando transmission line had been prone to sabotage in the past. He reported;

“There has been some vandalism in the past, but no one cared because it was painted over in less than a week. But this time it was more severe, and the repair was a little late because of security threats.”

He also underscored the call on communities to contribute to safeguarding these important structures that enhance our standard of living. He said,

“‘We are  calling on our brothers to assist us in protecting these equipments because the money that could have been spent on developmental projects are spent repairing the destroyed assets.’

State Response to Vandalism

In regards to the more recent and continuous problem of vandalism, the Minister said that there is a bill currently before the National Assembly aiming at increasing the punishment for such offenders. He said that, ‘We need a harsher penalty for these m!screants.”

Similarly, there is a need to look at measures to put an end to the selling of scrap metals within the country. They are the ones who promote destruction of public property since they get to purchase these items from crooks at a giving rate. Thus, this legislative effort seeks to prevent future acts of vandalism that have affected power supply in this region so badly.

Community Impact

This problem has remained a very sensitive and consistent one that has affected the lives of inhabitants in Northern Nigeria. Widespread consequences have been observed where businesses have been greatly affected, educational establishments have been disarranged, and medical care centers have been hampered in their operations.

The announcement by the Minister has, however, been received with positivity by the residents, who are eagerly waiting for a solution to the power problem.

Such as a resident who complained,

‘’We have been in darkness for too long. It is actually impacting some of our businesses and the education of our children. We expect the Minister to keep his word this time.”

Comments such as these ultimately serve as a reflection of the residents currently in the northern part of Nigeria, which have been facing the galvanizing effects of the lack of power supply.

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Wrapping up

Minister Adebayo’s announcement in respect to making sure there is a complete restoration of power in Northern Nigeria underscores the need for power supply in any part of human civilization as it’s a major determinant for growth. At the same time, the government is also looking for methods to effectively curb the consistent growth of vandalism in the region. These methods will no doubt require the collective effort of the government, security agencies, and the residents at large.

With the minister giving surety to the residents of Northern Nigeria, it remains to be seen if the government will come through with their promises.