Not less than 1000 households in Old Viva and the surrounding communities in the Sabon-Gari neighbourhood of Bwari town in Bwari Area Council of the FCT have been living in darkness since December, 2024 when the aging 500KVA transformer supplying the areas collapsed.
The residents told Abuja Metro that all their private efforts to fix the transformer had yielded no result.
The affected communities include ECWA Good News and its environs, Old Viva Street, Ogunmodede Street, Asoore Close, Gideon Close, Dominion Church Street, Old Fire Service Street and parts of Ibrahim Yaro Way.
Bishop David Asoore, the chairman of the affected communities, said when the transformer first got bad, residents contributed over N2 million to fix it only for it to get burnt a few weeks after.
The chairman said all efforts made to address the problem thereafter had yielded no result despite the fact that an area manager of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) was also affected by the blackout.
In the appeal letter signed by Bishop David Asoore and Mr John Zaka, the community’s chairman and Secretary, respectively addressed to the AEDC, the council’s chairman and the federal lawmakers representing Bwari, the community requested for a new transformer.
They noted that they had tried on their own to repair the old transformer twice and spent over N2m yet there was no success.
They said they were now living in fear over their lives and property, especially at night.
A resident, Moses James, said there had been increased robbery attacks in some of the areas as a result of the darkness.
He pleaded with the AEDC, the Bwari Area Council and the FCT Administration to come to the aid of the community.
Hajia Lami Ishaq, another resident of the area, said the power situation in the area had crippled economic activities, pleading with the AEDC to do all they could to fix the transformer.
What AEDC’s Bwari manager should do- Expert
A retired NEPA staff, Engr. Olakunle Salako, advised the Bwari Area Manager of the AEDC to, in the interim, share the community and connect them with the nearest transformer pending when the transformer will be ready.
He said, ‘’Instead of keeping that number of households in darkness for a year, you must bring your initiative rather than relying on the headquarters for transformers that are not available. Simply share these households and join them with the nearby transformers. It is about bringing your ingenuity.’’
Meanwhile, the Bwari Area Manager of the AEDC described the situation as worrisome, saying he is doing everything possible to resolve the crises.
He said the AEDC headquarters was aware of the situation and pleaded with the residents to continue to be patient.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
