Kaduna Electric Strike: Residents groan as blackout enters day three

As the strike by workers of Kaduna Electric enters its third day, residents in the state continue to groan in darkness amid appeals by the electricity authorities that power will soon be restored.

Most inhabitants of the suburbs in the metropolis, like Ungwar Romi, Sabo, and Ungwar Maijero, among other places, are facing water shortages as children are seen on the streets with buckets, rushing to neighbours with borehole facilities and nearby streams.

However, the management of Kaduna Electric (KAEDCO) has again appealed to citizens for calm, assuring them that the current industrial action will soon be resolved.

In a statement issued by the Head of Public Affairs, Abdullahi Abdullazeez, on Wednesday night, KAEDCO said: “Dear Valued Customers,
We deeply regret the extended power outage that has lasted over 24 hours here in Kaduna,” pointing out that “we fully recognize the inconvenience this has caused to households, businesses, and essential services for some of our customers in Kaduna.”

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According to Kaduna Electric’s management, the prolonged outage is a result of industrial action related to ongoing labor disputes,” noting that “while we face significant challenges, we are fully dedicated to resolving these matters amicably and restoring electricity as quickly as possible.

It added, “We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding during this time. Please rest assured that we are making every effort to conclude discussions and return operations to normal. Our technical teams are prepared to restore power immediately once the situation is resolved.

“Once again, we offer our unreserved apologies for the disruption and thank you for your continued trust in Kaduna Electric.”

Meanwhile, many residents of Ungwar Romi and Sabo have lamented the cost of damages that the prolonged power outage has inflicted on domestic food items and other essentials.

For instance, Madam Ruth Sako said, “All the vegetables, meat, and other items that we bought and kept in the refrigerator in preparation for my daughter’s wedding ceremony have gone bad.”