Residents of Pantami and environs around Bye-pass in Gombe have decried over 30 days blackout that crippled economic and social activities in the area.
The residents who registered their grievances at the Kumbiya-Kumbiya JED Co office, said for over a week they don’t have even five hours power supply despite consistently paying for electricity bills, lamenting that their daily businesses have been crippled and life become unbearable to them.
Bashir Shu’aib Umar, one of the residents said they were at the JED office to demands for explanation on why they were left in darkenss for long, saying it is worrisome that for over 30 days they were left without power supply and even when they brought light, it didn’t last for long.
With no concreate explanation on why things are happening, Bashir said residents of the are decided to converge at the JED Co office, noting that water scarcity has hit residents of the area.
“We were at the JED Office because of incessant power problems that we have in our area, it has crippled many businesses. That’s why we came here to demand for explanation on why this is happening to us. For a week we didn’t even get 5 hours power supply”.
“People are suffering, we don’t have water supply because they used to power it with electric power and we don’t have light and there is no way to have drinking water. For us to buy water now is expensive, even grinding machines are affected. People have to trek for long to take their grains for grinding. Things are difficult for us”, said Bashir.
For his part, Tijjani Bappi, the leader of the delegation, the problem has been escalating but appealed to the residents to bear with the situation and refrain from taking laws in to their hands.
Responding, Yarima Baba, Gombe Regional Manager, Jos Electricity Distribution Company, assured customers on the Doma feeder, that the management is working to resolve the issues, saying it also pained them that residents are in darkness.
“Honestly, the people of Pantami Bye-pass, BCJ, Unguwa uku and other communities up to Dadin Kowa, we are pained over what is happening. We are aware of what is happening and we are on top of the situation and we assured them that very soon light will be restored in the affected areas”, said Yarima.
