Thursday, 7 April 2016

FROM NEPA, PHCN TO DISCOS, THE PEOPLE OF OTAMPA COMMUNITY IN ISUIKWUATO LGA IN ABIA STATE AND JENTA MAKERI IN JOS, ARE SUFFERING LIGHT DISTRIBUTION PROBLEMS

By: Valentine Adese
 
Nigerians have continued to be confused on which regime of power managers to rely on with the multifaceted problems rocking the electricity distribution in the country.

First, Nigerians saw the inefficiency in ECN then the name was transformed to Nigerian Electrical Power Authority (NEPA), this body, thrived for some years to manage the power supply and management but, the complaints that rocked the ECN were never addressed.

As the country continued with its political experiments, the complaints were readdressed by the introduction of the concept of privatization. In between the process of actualizing the proposed privatization, NEPA gave way for Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

While the manipulation in the sector continued, Nigerians were beating and thrown to their wildest imagination that the Privatization Policy only benefited those who have been leaders in the polity.

In effect, PHCN has now handed over to Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOS) to complete the privatization circle.

In all these, many communities are still kept in darkness as some do not have transformer and those that have can not remember when last they saw a flash.

A case at hand is the Jenta Makeri and Jenta Adamu Communities in Jos, Plateau State, and Otampa Community in Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria.

REALITY finding reveals that the Transformer at the Police Barrack junction before the Inspector’s Quarters, Jos, is shared by two different offices of the Jos Electricity Distribution (JED), Company, the Gadabiu and the Tudunwada offices. To this extent, it confuses consumers to know which of the offices is responsible for its management and maintenance.  

As at the time of filing this report, the cables that the transformer transfers power through are alleged to be out dated and are bad. 

Samuel Atan, a resident of Jenta Makari community, who spoke to our correspondent reacted “well they are only managing the transformer. They want us as consumers to contribute and buy cables for a private company that is making profit from our patronage. Is this not wrong? When there is light, we have to wait for a staff from their office to come and fix a temporary fuss for us. This is wrong! Since the assumption of JED, no transformer has been given any attention not to talk of replacing them. This is sad!”.

For Otampa Community in Abia State, it was sadly reported that the Royal Father of the Community, HRH EZE Umesieobi, the Ota1 of Otampa, and the entire Otampa Community, have spent months without any sign that the distribution of light would come back to the Community.

REALITY finding reveals that, owing to a proposal that a road might be constructed through Otampa to Amaibo area of Isuikwuato, the Distribution Company allegedly removed the transformer that supplies light to the community with a good reason to relocate the transformer.

However, as this report is being presented, the transformer is nowhere to be found as the relocation has not taken place in the last three months, thereby leaving the Community and its Royal father in darkness.

While the people wait for the distribution company to meet the needs of the people of Otampa and Jenta Makeri, REALITY shall keep you posted!

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