Power Blackout: Group Issues Five-day Ultimatum to KEDCO
NDPHC invests N3.3bn on power supply in Sokoto
Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto
A group, Coalition of Sokoto State Youth Associations, monday issued a five-day ultimatum to the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) to restore power supply in the state or face mass protest by the citizens.
Addressing journalists in Sokoto yesterday, its Chairman, Comrade Aminu Abdullahi, decried lack of power supply in Sokoto metropolis and its environs, despite the fact that neigbouring states of Kebbi and Zamfara were enjoying adequate electricity.
He noted that KEDCO allocated 147 megawatts to Kaduna state, 47 mega watts to Kebbi and 21 mega watts to Zamfara while Sokoto was allocated less than 15 mega watts.
Abdullahi lamented that residents of most parts of the Sokoto metropolis hardly get 3 hours of electricity in a week.
“We wonder why residents of Sokoto get less than an hour of electricity in three days while at the end of the month they are issued with a bill of N14,000 as minimum payment.
“So, we are calling on the management of KEDCO, to as a matter of urgency allocate more mega watts to Sokoto metropolis and improve power supply in the state or face our wrath,” he said.
He threatened that the coalition would not hesitate to mobilise the citizens of Sokoto to stop paying electricity bill, if the company fails to improve power supply in the state.
“If after five days ultimatum our demands are not met, we will not only embark on protest against KEDCO but will mobilise citizens of Sokoto to stop paying electricity bills,” Abdullahi averred.
However, reacting to the threats, the Business Development and Relationship Officer of the Company, Mr. Tijjani Mustapha, said Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company was not responsible for power supply to the states.
He explained that KEDCO does not discriminate against any state, adding that allocation of megawatts was done by Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
“The truth of the matter is that megawatts is being allocated to Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara and Kaduna states by the Transmission Company of Nigeria.
“We get an average of five to 10 mega watts of electricity in Sokoto daily and it is very minimal. But we are trying to see how we can get TCN to allocate more to the state,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) said it has invested in equipment worth N3.3bn to boot power infrastructure in Sokoto state.
The project, executed under the federal government’s Integrated Power Projects (IPP) scheme, achieved substantial success because of the tremendous commitment shown by the state government to it’s success, a General Manager in the firm, Alhaji Muhammad Bunza, has said.
“The N3.3 billion expenditure has resulted in the construction of three power substations in three locations in different parts of the state. The locations are Gagi and Farfaru in Sokoto metropolis and Tambuwal Local Government Area in the southern part of the state,” he added.
Speaking when he conducted Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal round the facilities, Bunza said each substation has the capacity to carry 500kva transformer which will in turn sustain 25 transformers that will serve approximately 200 households.
He said the three projects are expected to come on stream in the next three months, and will increase power supply in the state.
While thanking Tambuwal for his concern and determination to see to the completion of the projects on time, Bunza said the NDPHC will continue with it’s mandate to ensure Nigeria becomes self-sufficient in power generation, and distribution.
In his remarks, the governor said the significance of the projects towards increase in power output in the state cannot be overemphasised.
“It becomes very important to build such substations because the usage of power has increased in Sokoto in recent years. We are appealing to the federal government to also consider building more stations in Illela, Kilgori, Moore, Kalambaina and other districts in Eastern and Southern parts of the state,” he added.
