A re-electrification project, which was meant to reconnect the Warji local government of Bauchi to the national grid after two years of total blackout, has stalled three months after flagging off.
A member representing Ningi/Warji Federal constituency, Hon. Adamu Hashimu Ranga, has in April inaugurated/flagged off the re-electrification project as part of his constituency.
The project, which the lawmaker flagged off with fanfare, was yet to be included in the zonal intervention project of the 2025 budget, according to WikkiTimes findings.
WikkiTimes reports that Warji LGA has been cut off from the national grid for the last two years, and despite repeated appeals to the authorities in Warji and Bauchi, the town remains in absolute darkness.
Hon. Ranga earlier converged people in Warji and announced that he would repair the power installations in the area and restore light to the community as their representative in the lower chamber of the national assembly.
While flagging off the project, he said he was aware of the importance of electricity to the socio-economic development of the area, as it is his birthplace.
According to Ranga, the project will be executed by IRS Engineering LTD and will be completed within the span of three weeks.
Speaking at the ceremony, the representative of IRS Engineering, Engr. Idris Yakubu confirmed that the company would execute a quality project.
However, about three months after the flag off, the project remains abandoned with residents in continuous agony for want of electricity.
Checks on the company by WikkiTimes found that IRS Engineering is located at Suite A3, Bensima House, Opposite Maitama District Hospital, Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Abuja.
However, a resident of Warji and social affairs analyst, Comrade Usman Shuaibu, who visited the identified address in Abuja, noted that there was just a law chamber situated at the location without the presence of the contractor.
“I was there, I have snapped some pictures there, and the office that the company claimed as its own belongs to a lawyer. It is a law office,” he said.
WikkiTimes independently confirmed that the re-electrification project was not yet included in the 2025 budget appropriation.
A source in the national assembly told WikkiTimes on condition of anonymity that “it’s now that Hon. Ranga is trying to talk to the chairman of budget appropriation Hon. Bichi to help include Warji re-electrification in the supplementary budget to be presented to national assembly in July.”
WikkiTimes’ recent efforts to speak with Engineer Idris Yakubu were not successful as he could not be reached through his known phone number.
However, a week after the commencement of the project, Engr. Yakubu had told WikkiTimes that they had a minor issue, but they are working to fix it.
Hon. Ranga told WikkiTimes in a phone interview that the project had some challenges such as sabotage through theft and recent rainfall have slowed down the work.
The lawmaker explained further that engineers mapped the community and identified fallen poles as the core issue and proposed a complete replacement.
“I committed personal resources,” Ranga stated, “but we observed sabotage through widespread wire theft along the line. If not for this, Warji would have had power before Eid al-Kabir.”
According to him, the vigilantes he engaged apprehended two thieves, but all suspects were subsequently released.
He noted that despite the challenge, he directed the engineer to continue work. “However, heavy rainfall then prevented the use of essential machinery. The engineer has now confirmed work will resume on Tuesday.”
Hon. Ranga confirmed the project is yet to be captured in the budget and anticipates its inclusion in a supplementary budget later in the year.
