Power outage: A call to save the North

By Grace Donatus

For over a week, the northern part of the country has been plagued by a power outage, significantly impacting the lives of residents and businesses in both the private and public sectors. Despite the severity of the situation, no critical measures seem to be in place to restore electricity to the affected areas. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has been releasing daily updates with varying explanations, yet none has provided a concrete solution to the crisis.
The question remains: why are northern leaders always quiet and silent on every issue affecting the region? How can we stay for a week without electricity in the northern part of the country and governors continue to be silent on the issue? What are the reasons and objectives behind the establishment of the Northern Governors Forum (NGF)?
I write with a heavy heart to urge the northern governors to pressurise the TCN to quickly resolve the crisis. The northern leaders, who are expected to be at the forefront of calling on the TCN and other agencies to fix the problem, have remained silent and watching. Is it because they can afford generators or solar energy?
Unfortunately, many northerners prioritise politics over the region’s well-being and development. Some opposition parties have remained silent, being satisfied with the situation in order to use the government’s failures for campaign purposes, instead of focusing on constructive criticism that would bring change and development. They use these faults to gain political mileage during election campaigns, rather than working towards logical solutions to our region’s challenges.
Majority of the top politicians and even the presidential candidates during the 2023 elections were from the North, but they chose not to air their views for the development of the region. Why do southern politicians not behave in this manner?
Politicians in Northern Nigeria should learn valuable lessons from their southern counterparts, particularly when it comes to prioritising citizens’ needs. The EndSARS protests serve as a prime example. The governor of Lagos state, despite being in the same party with President Muhammadu Buhari, swiftly accepted the protesters’ letter and met with the president to address their concerns. Can northern leaders and governors do this to President Bola Tinubu for the benefit of thier citizens?
The silence of key northern stakeholders, including senators and members of the House of Representatives, opposition parties, and governors on issues affecting Northern Nigeria is disturbing. This inaction raises questions about who will intervene to address critical situations in the region.
I call on our northern governors, leaders, stakeholders, and wealthy individuals to unite and set aside political and religious differences for the benefit of the people and development of Northern Nigeria.
Furthermore, they should task and urge the TCN to quickly provide solutions to the ongoing power outage in the North. What kind of problem that can’t be solved within a week?

Grace Donatus of the Department of Mass Communication, University, Maiduguri, Borno State.