Electricity: Not Yet Uhuru, For North West Customers

By Abdu Labaran Malumfashi

One is forced to borrow from the heading of the world renowned East African writer, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, a onetime Vice President of Kenya, to make part of the heading of this article. Oginga used the Swahili word of ‘Uhuru’ (independence or freedom) to indicate that the struggle for independence by African nations from colonial rule was yet to be achieved wholly; hence the title ‘Not Yet Uhuru’.

The title is often used to refer to an activity whose goal is not fully achieved. Mostly, it is used to describe independence struggles or self determination processes in progress.

To the topic of this article, again, is the very annoying and disappointing service of the electricity providers in the north west, despite the recent hike in the tariffs of electricity announced in the country. The service has remained more or less the same, at worst, and unsatisfactory, to be more charitable.

Even the so called Band A customers are not spared the headache of the epileptic electricity supply in the region.

Not long ago, this writer came across a press statement announcing the improvement of electricity supply for all the service providers except the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO). In the announcement, it was stated that the supply of electricity for Band A customers would be between 23 to 24 hours daily. But as stated earlier, the name of KEDCO was conspicuously absent from the list.

And just on Sunday the 7th of July, there was another announcement, where it was disclosed that the National Grid had been restored completely. Still, electricity supply by the all mighty KEDCO has remained what it has always been; epileptic.

I was made to understand that electricity supply in the north west, the jurisdiction of KEDCO, is still epileptic even for the Band A customers, as at the time of writing this article. Someone informed me that the electricity supplied to the area was still less than ten hours in a day, a far cry from the 23 to 24 hours enjoyed by Band A customers elsewhere.

The other day, I read that KEDCO had threatened to cut off electricity supply to the Dangote University, complaining that the N20 million paid by the institution out of the N248 million owed it was very insignificant to deter them from taking the extreme measures to get most, if not, all their money.

The company knew how to go the ‘extra mile’ to get its money, but did not feel obliged to serve its customers properly. Even the prepaid meter owners suffer the indignity of living most of the day with little electricity, except those with enough money to feed their generators with the required petroleum or gas.

I also understood that the joyous cry of the young ones still rents the ears the moment electricity is back on. The cry is always ‘NEPA’.
The evergreen comedy on the epileptic supply of electricity by the Kano ace Comedian ‘Na Abba’ readily comes to mind.

By the way, the ‘defences’ in the system have not gone beyond withstanding any measure of rainfall. The moment nature decides to send rainfall, the providers of electricity will automatically shut off until the rains are over or when they deem it necessary to bring back the power.

As if most Nigerians were not in enough hardship, some heartless politicians, who want to rule the country at all cost, want to double the difficulty of surviving on these shores for the weaker compatriots. They want the Federal Government to divest from the transmission of electricity to them, in addition to already owning the distribution aspect.

They want the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), to be ‘sold’ to them, as was done the distribution aspect. And we know that was a further addition to the hardship of many individuals and the collapse of many companies and other businesses that rely on public electricity in the country.

If such people were to have their way, the poor Nigerians would be in even more trouble than they already are. It is therefore, the wish of the majority that may they never have their way in both ruling the country and or having the opportunity to control the transmission aspect of electricity as well.

It is hoped that the country would get things right in the very near future, so that the ‘Shylocks’ among us could not have their evil way. Their evil way would always bring more misery for the majority. May Allah Subhana Wa Ta’ala never give such people either of their desires.

Malam Malumfashi wrote from Abuja