Power Outages In The North: Kwankwaso Calls For Alternative Sources Of Electricity

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, in the 2023 General Elections, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, on Monday October 28, 2024 lamented the excruciating effects the continued power outages in most parts of the Northern region are exacting on the people and the economy.

This is just as he called on business owners to consider alternative sources of power supplies outside the choice presented by the Transmission Company of Nigeria,TCN.

The Source reports that for over two weeks, most parts of the North, especially the North West region has been in darkness.

The authorities of the TCN have blamed the situation on the damage wreaked on some of its facilities by vandals; particularly the Shiroro-Kaduna power-line.

They also complained that the serious security challenges posed by banditry and other criminal elements have continued to make it difficult for them to carry out the needed maintenance works.

The situation has not only thrown up challenges within the economic front, but appears to have exacerbated the security problems facing the region.

Only last week, the Northern Senators Forum expressed deep concern over the power outages, noting that it has the potentials to worsen the already hard economic situation being faced by the people.

Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum called on the authorities, including the TCN to urgently rectify the problems so as to prevent the poor security situations in the region from spiraling out of control.

Commenting on his official site, Senator Kwankwaso, a former Governor of Kano State ,the commercial nerve centre of the North, and one of the most affected States  by the power outage, noted that the situation has been worsened by the skyrocketing prices of Petroleum products in the country.

” It is very disheartening that many parts of Northern Nigeria are in total darkness today due to vandalism on the important 330kmv Shiroro-Kaduna power line that supplies the States of Kano and Kaduna and another line that supplies Bauchi, Gombe, and other parts of the North East.

“This situation has been further compounded by the high cost of petrol and diesel in Nigeria which has further plunged homes into darkness and forced factories to close down.

“That the crisis this time, has taken too long to be addressed underscores the huge deficit of the capacity our power sector has in order to address large scale problems ,and this must be addressed to avoid any future disruption.

“It is about time we looked into alternative power sources to address our energy needs and we need to exploit the abundant resources available to this country.

“I wish to encourage all State Governments and private investors to invest in alternative electricity sources just like we did in Kano by installing two turbines in the Challawa  and Tiga  Dams in order to reduce the reliance on our inadequate and aged energy sources”, Kwankwaso stated.