By Awaal Gata
In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Zuba and Gwagwalada are famous for incessant power outage. But with the coming of Abubakar Jibrin Giri, the Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, the problem has been solved to some extents, for the two towns now enjoy at least eight hours of power in every 24 hours.
However, the problem has been passed on to Ikwa. Ikwa is a ward in the council, and it is closely fused to Zuba to the extent that a newcomer wouldn’t know which is which.
Blueprint’s investigation reveals that the last time the community, which is badly in need of infrastructure like road, healthcare centres, central drainage and potable water, had electricity was on June 25; the day Nigeria played Argentina in this year’s World Cup, save for the one produced by the generating sets of the residents.
“The last time we had light here was the day the Super Eagles played against Argentina in the World Cup,” a resident who gave his name simply as Samson, told Blueprint.
“It was in the middle of the match that it was taken; we thought it will be back after a few hours, but not yet after almost five months.”
In most places where power outage is a norm, in the daytimes generating sets are hardly put to work; in Ikwa, when our correspondent visited around 2:30pm on Sunday, almost every household had one at work.
Pollution from the sets merged with the stench emanating from the opened gutters that circled almost every household, gave the community an abnormal ambience.
“If the problem isn’t solved immediately, I will relocate soon. Not the light that is my problem only, the gens don’t let me sleep. Everybody has his or her own here. You will hardly see someone without one here; so if we all on our own, this place becomes hell with noise and smoke. Imagine one enduring this for almost five months,” Samson laments.
Malam Abu Aminu, the leader of the community’s landlords, says the problem was from the transformer that powers the area and not from the transmission station at Suleja.
Aminu says a PHCN staff told him the transformer was overcrowded and got spoilt beyond repair.
According to him, a new one had been brought and installed since two months ago, but because the contractor hadn’t settled the PHCN staffers it had not been powered.
He said for the transformer to be installed, every household was levied N2,000 yet the contractor said he had no N100,000 to settle the staffers.
The landlords’ leader said if it wasn’t for the contractor, the area would have been out of the problem since the day the new transformer was installed.
“It was our transformer that packed-up beyond repair. A NEPA staff told me that it was overcrowded and then it spoilt. After like two months a new one was brought and we were taxed N2,000 each to install it. Now, after the installing, the NEPA people needed N100,000 from the contractor but he said he doesn’t have. That little amount of money is what is prolonging the problem,” Aminu said.
He, however, advised residents to contribute the money they use in fueling their generating sets on daily basis for the contractor to settle the staffers.
Speaking on behalf of the community head, a youth leader, Philip Magaji, urged the PHCH staffers and the contractor to settle their differences so that the benefit of the community.
Magaji also called on Giri-led administration of the council to come to the community’s aid in terms of infrastructural development.
All efforts by our correspondent to reach the contractor proved abortive.
When the correspondent also visited the PHCN outpost in Zuba on Friday and yesterday for inquiries, the doors were closed.