Residents of Ado in New Karu, Nasarawa State, have lamented the worsening power supply in their community, appealing to the Federal Government to improve the situation.
The residents spoke to reporters on Tuesday in Abuja.
Mrs. Judith Moses, a business owner, explained that her business relies on electricity to operate. She said the erratic power supply was crippling her business and causing financial losses.
“The light situation affects our businesses because nothing moves without it. Since morning, we haven’t had electricity. Yesterday, we only had it for about two hours in the evening. I appeal to the Federal Government to help us. Even a rotational supply, like two days on and one day off, would be better,” she said.
Miss Peace Waziri, a teacher, said the power situation has been poor for a long time. She explained that there are periods of up to three days without electricity, disrupting family life and making it difficult to watch TV or read at night.
“The intermittent power affects us in many ways. Food cannot be stored in fridges, and pumping water has become difficult and expensive. When there is electricity, water is cheaper, but when there isn’t, borehole owners rely on generators, and fuel costs are high,” she said.
Mr. Kayode Tunde, an engineer, said the power supply has been unreliable since January, sometimes lasting only one hour a day or missing for two days.
“This spoils our food in freezers. My wife and I work full-time and prepare meals in advance to last a week or two because cooking daily is exhausting. We appeal to the Federal Government to solve this electricity problem,” he said.
Mr. David Iko, a trader, described the discomfort caused by power outages, especially during the hot season.
“We rely on electricity even for simple things like fans. When there is no light, we endure the heat, and water becomes scarce because pumping machines may not work. Most times, we must buy water,” he said.
Mrs. Nkem Okolie, a civil servant, said the poor electricity supply discourages businesses and affects livelihoods. She noted that residents are unsure of the cause, though some attribute it to the Mararaba flyover construction.
“I appeal to the government to address this problem. We need electricity for a comfortable life and clarity on the reasons for these frequent outages,” she said.
