The people of Kanam Emirate in Plateau South Senatorial Zone have begun to enjoy electricity supply once again after five years of blackout in the emirate.
The supply of electricity to the localities was sliced-off when the sector was sold to private investors (DiSco). It was discovered that huge unresolved accumulated bills hung out on the residents. Consequently, it became difficult to replace obsolete transformers and faulty supply cables as the Disco demanded for payment of outstanding bills as a condition.
The inability of the people to settle the outstanding bill has resulted in blackout for the last five years.
The restoration of energy supply was made possible through the intervention of the newly elected Chairman of the Kanam Local Government Area, Hon Dayyabu Garga who took over the mantle of leadership in October 2021.
Benue/Plateau Trust learnt that on the assumption of office, the council boss made his first official assignment to be the restoration of supply in the locality.
A residence of Dengi, headquarters of Kanam Local Government, Kabiru Umar said, “I am a barber, I have a barbing saloon, and I can tell you that in the last five years, we don’t have electricity supply from the government. I have been running my shop with a generator and I don’t make much gain, in fact, some days I can’t even recover the fuel money. But for two weeks now that we have electricity, I know how much I made from my shop. God will continue to bless this chairman.
It was also learnt that due to poor power supply in the emirate, most of the youths fled the villages to Jos city where they can have light to run their respective businesses.
A welder, Isah Hayatu, said he relocated to Jos due to the problem as he had lost his job because of that.
“I have returned to the village, and I appreciate the council chairman for restoring our light.
The Special Adviser to the chairman on Media and Public Affairs, Muhammed Yusufu Kanam said, “The chairman took on the matter with JEDC telling them that he is ready to do all it takes to restore light in the local government.’’
He said the chairman entered into a memorandum of understanding with the management of JEDC on how to offset the backlog of electricity bills.
He said part of the agreement also said the local government will purchase new power transformers, supply cables and poles to enable JEDC to extend the supply to communities closer to Dengi, the council headquarters.
Dickson S. Adama & Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos
