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Nigerians celebrate Eid-Fitri in darkness as outage persists

By Kehinde Olatunji
14 May 2021   |   4:03 am
Electricity consumers, yesterday, expressed frustration over power outage in the country, making the Eid-Fitri holiday bleak for Nigerians.

Electricity consumers, yesterday, expressed frustration over power outage in the country, making the Eid-Fitri holiday bleak for Nigerians.
  
Many residents, who have been without power supply since Tuesday till when this report was filed, lamented the situation, urging the government to address it.
  
Consumers lamented that the situation has impacted on their businesses, citing the case of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) that has been mum on reasons for the blackout.
 


“Other Discos informed their customers reasons for the outage, which was due to power grid collapse, but IKEDC did not dim it fit to explain anything to us, yet we are without supply,” Mr. Arimiyo told our reporter.

The Guardian reported that the nation’s electricity grid collapsed, on Tuesday, plunging parts of the country.

“We regret to inform you that the power outage currently being experienced across our franchise – Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states – is a result of the collapse of the national grid,” Kaduna Electric said on Twitter.
 
Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc, in a text message to its customers, said: “Dear customer, there is a partial system collapse on the national grid. Our TCN partners are working to restore supply immediately. Please bear with us.”

Also, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), in a statement titled “System collapse and grid recovery” and signed by the General Manager (Public Affairs), NdidiMbah, explained that the blackout was a result of voltage collapse at some parts of the grid.
 
“TCN commenced grid recovery immediately after the collapse, from Shiroro Generating Station to Katampe TS, Abuja through the Shiroro – Katampe line at 11:29 am, and also through Delta Generating Station to Benin Transmission Substation and has reached Osogbo and parts of Lagos.
  
“While the grid restoration and power restoration gradually progress to other parts of the country, the cause of voltage collapse that precipitated this failure is equally being investigated.”
  
Though TCN had hinted that 90 per cent restoration was confirmed by 9pm on Tuesday, major areas under the jurisdictions of some Distribution Companies still don’t have power supply as at the time of filing this report.
 


Speaking with our reporter, a businesswoman in Oke-Afa, Isolo, local government, Mrs. Ajoke Faronbi, said: “Nigeria needs divine intervention. When will it ever be well, when will things get better in the country? How long are we going to continue like this? This is a joke of a country.
   
“Nigerians are deprived of basic utilities. We can’t use our fridges, fans, air conditioners and even catch up with the news on television. We even pay heavily for the epileptic power supply because we are not metered and so, high bills are dished out on us.”
 
Also speaking, Mr. Chike Obi, urged President Muhammdu Buhari administration to find a lasting solution to the problem of power supply in the country, saying Nigerians will always remember them for the feat.
 
“If this government wants all their sins to be forgiven, the cheapest way is to address the teething power challenges. It has been like a stubborn child that nobody can tame.”
  
When The Guardian contacted Head Corporate Communication at Ikeja Electric, he did not respond to calls put across to him.
 
However, residents of Victoria Island under EKEDC confirmed that power had been restored in their axis.

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