By; USMAN NASIDI, Kaduna
As power outage continues to persist in most communities of Kaduna State, the Rigasa Action And Awareness Forum (RAAF) on behalf of the entire Rigasa community, has demanded accountability from the Kaduna Electric.
During a peaceful protest on Monday at Rigasa Ward of Igabi Local Government Area organized by RAAF Kaduna, the group insisted, “No Light, No Pay” considering the hardship being faced by the people of the community.
While expressing their grievances, Abubakar Galadima, Dallatun Rigasa explained that Kaduna Electric is not willing to show concern over the unending hardship being inflicted on the people and not respecting the rights of the customers.
He lamented that despite the efforts being put in place to resolve the issue by the office of the District Head of Rigasa by forming a committee to look into the issue, headed by the area manager, Kaduna Electric has refused to take responsibility.
“Due to worsening power outage continuously, most of our women have to come out midnight roaming various streets to seek for water from the few individuals having little water at their boreholes, so that they can make use of it and which is not acceptable especially during this period of Ramadan fast that they are supposed to have peace”, said Abubakar Galadima.
While addressing newsman, RAAF President, Comrade Hassan Abubakar expressed displeasure over the services being rendered by the Kaduna Electric in the community that mostly adds hardship to the people and being forced to pay for the failed services.
Comrade Hassan added that, despite repeated attempts to engage with the company and address critical issues, they are yet to see any tangible improvements in service delivery.
He said, “sequel to the above, we strongly urge Kaduna Electric to disconnect its electricity supply until all underlying issues are thoroughly addressed. It is imperative that the company ensures stable and reliable services before resuming supply to consumers.
“Continuously providing unreliable electricity not only inconveniences consumers, but also poses risks to their safety and well-being.
“It has come to our attention that when transformers malfunction, Kaduna Electric fails to promptly repair them. Instead, the burden falls upon the community to arrange for repairs, while the company continues to bill consumers for services that are not being adequately provided. This neglect of transformer maintenance is unacceptable and contributes to the persistent challenges faced by consumers.
According to the group, even when transformers are not functioning properly, consumers are still being billed for electricity services. This unjust practice adds insult to injury and highlights the urgent need for transparency and accountability within Kaduna Electric’s operations.
Similarly, arising from the above realities, they demanded transparency regarding the total number of transformers in their area and the expected targets for maintenance and repairs.
“Access to this information is crucial for holding Kaduna Electric accountable and ensuring that adequate resources are allocated to address existing challenges.
“Despite the formation of a committee, consisting of representatives from the district head, stakeholders, and Kaduna Electric, efforts to address the electricity crisis have been consistently thwarted by the company’s self-serving interests.
“It has been 54 days since the establishment of this committee, yet the community has not experienced more than three hours of uninterrupted electricity supply during this period.
“In light of these ongoing challenges and the failure of Kaduna Electric to fulfill its obligations, we call upon the public to take a stand. We urge consumers to refrain from accepting and paying their electricity bills until these pressing issues are effectively addressed. By withholding payment, we aim to send a clear message to Kaduna Electric that accountability and transparency are non-negotiable.
“Meanwhile, we emphasize the urgent need for Kaduna Electric to prioritize the interests of consumers and take immediate action to improve electricity services in our community. We remain committed to advocating for our rights and holding the company accountable for its responsibilities,” Comrade Hassan said.
