In 2019, Ibrahim Makama Misau, the member representing Misau/Dambam Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, distributed about 50 solar-powered street lights to five communities in Misau Local Government Area of Bauchi State. However, they started malfunctioning right from the day they were installed, according to the beneficiaries.
The project, WikkiTimes learnt, was the lawmaker’s 2019 zonal intervention project awarded to A.K.Y Makama Oil and Company Limited.
Residents of the benefitting communities — Hardawa, Gwaram, Tofu, Zadawa, Jarkasa and Akuyam — told WikkiTimes the street lights only functioned for some minutes after their installation three years ago. Sadly, the trend continues to date.
Malam Sale Yakubu, one of the residents of Hardawa community said the lights are substandard ones, referencing their epileptic nature.
“We have reported the issue to representatives of the honourable member, they told us that they are taking statistics of those that have faults so that they will forward it to him, but up to now nothing was done,” Yakubu said.
Some communities, according to Yakubu, are repairing the lights by themselves. “After some time, I heard that some communities have repaired their own,” he said. “I called the person that brought the solar to us and told him I wanted to repair our own and he gave me go-ahead to do so if I can.”
“As you can see, ours has been repaired but not functioning well,” he said, stressing that it is far better than how it was when installed. Yakubu further claimed that the solar meant for Mareyo in Kukadi Ward of Misau LGA was mounted in Hardawa ward, stating that he had notified the concerned people, “but nothing has been done about it.”
The situation is the same in Tofu, Akuyam and Jarkasa where residents narrated their plights to WikkiTimes. According to Yusuf Tofu, “these solar lights only work for two or three minutes in a day and go off till another day.”
Adam Akuyam, a source who spoke to WikkItimes from Akuyam village, strengthened our findings, saying the street lights failed since their installation. According to him, vandals who stole the lights’ batteries further worsened the situation.
When contacted, the lawmaker, Misau, refuted the villager’s claims, saying the lights were working perfectly when installed three years ago. In addition, Misau claimed that no one had complained to him about the issue.
READ: Party Delegate Gives Back To Community, Donates 5 Motorcycles, Solar Lights In Niger
“It is ridiculous that for over three years, no one complained about them until now,” Misau sneered. “People don’t say good things about what we have been doing until now that they see us doing good things. We just finished free eye treatment for our constituents and have a lot of ongoing projects.”
“It is ridiculous that for over three years, no one complained about them until now,” Misau sneered. “People don’t say good things about what we have been doing until now that they see us doing good things. We just finished free eye treatment for our constituents and have a lot of ongoing projects.”
He added: “The benefitting communities have thanked us for the work we have done for them. You can find out from them and it makes no sense that after three years to complain that your solar street lights are not functioning.”
