We’ve spent 3 years in total blackout, Kano residents cry out

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

Residents of Danmaliki Cika-sarari in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State have decried that they have been in total blackout for over three years.
The residents said they have been living without electricity supply since 2018 and all their efforts to restore power in the area have been unsuccessful.
The people of the area also said that the state government had donated a transformer for them through Naziru Zakari Sheka, the then Member, representing Kumbotso Constituency in the Kano House of Assembly, but it is yet to be installed.
The community members decried that the situation has subjected them into untold hardships, as their socio-economic well-being had been adversely affected.
A resident of the area, Aminu Abdullahi said they have suffered untold hardships since the blackout started in 2018, adding that they had been left in a fleeting hope that electricity would be restored in the area.
“We have been without electricity supply since early 2018. We have been suffering from this situation. Our socio-economic life has been negatively affected.
“Our businesses have been paralysed. This is in addition to outbreak of diseases such as malaria, because we are sleeping with mosquito. Whenever hot season set in, our suffering would be worse. We need urgent intervention.
“ We call on the KEDCO and the state government to come to our rescue as this situation is no longer bearable to us,” Abdullahi said.
Another resident, Audu Jani stated that the state government, through the then member House of assembly, had donated a transformer to the community but it is yet to be installed. We have severally contacted the KEDCO and other relevant authorities to install the transformer for us, but our efforts are unsuccessful yet.
“ We have been in a difficult situation due to this power outage. The situation is unbearable. This electricity is essential to us because it helps us boost our economy. Our businesses have now been affected negatively.
“We have workshops where we use power to run them, now we have to defend on petroleum and diesel which are costly. We therefore appeal to authorities to come to our aid, “ Jani appealed.
When contacted for comment, Head Corporate Unit of Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) Ibrahim Shawai said the community members ought to contact Rural Electrification Board (REB) since the transformer was given to them by the state government.
According to him, the said transformer donated to the community has not been officially handed over to KEDCO for connection, therefore, the residents should contact REB for onward handover to the company for installation.
Shawai also explained that the community could also contact KEDCO directly for connection of the transformer, but they should form a committee, write an application to the headquarters of the company.
He noted that the connection of a transformer follow a due process and procedures which communities have to follow to get themselves connected.