24th September, 2023
By Muhammad Lawal
The Kebbi State Government has extended its plea to the residents of Birnin Kebbi and its surroundings to remain patient as the ongoing total blackout persists.
Alhaji Ahmed Idris, the Chief Press Secretary to the Kebbi Governor, conveyed this message through a press statement issued in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday.
The statement quoted Alhaji Yakubu Bala-Tafida, the Secretary to Kebbi State Government (SSG), who made the appeal during his visit to the substation of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in Birnin Kebbi.
The blackout stemmed from a fire incident on Thursday, September 14, which resulted in the destruction of one 90MVA (330KV/132KV) and a 60MVA (132KV/33KV) transformer.
Consequently, Kebbi, Sokoto States, and certain parts of Zamfara have been left in complete darkness.
Given the ten-day-long power outage, Bala-Tafida emphasised the urgency of the situation. He stated that he represented the state governor, who directed him to oversee the restoration efforts to prevent prolonged hardship for the residents.
Bala-Tafida assured that the governor was always in support of what would bring joy and happiness to his constituents.
The SSG, who expressed satisfaction with the level of work done so far, said the team of engineers had been assured that their headquarters in Abuja had given them two weeks to fix the light.
“We came, we saw the level of effort being put in place, and we are satisfied. All we need from our people is prayers for them to do a good job and complete it within the stipulated period, and we are hopeful that the work will be completed on schedule,” he said.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Affairs and Power, Alhaji Kabiru Sani-Giant, lauded the engineers for showing a high sense of commitment to the repair works.
He appealed to all the affected customers to be patient and consider what had happened as a destiny from the Almighty God that nobody could have averted.
The governor’s aide advised the people to imbibe the good culture of using electricity by switching off all appliances when not in use to minimise power wastage and possible fire outbreaks.
Sani-Giant said: “We should borrow a leaf from our neighbours, the Niger Republic; they have that discipline; they switch on bulbs when there is a need for them, unlike us Nigerians, who allow our bulbs on even during the day when we don’t need them.”
On possible damages during the restoration of power, the adviser promised that announcements would be made on the electronic media and other platforms for the residents to put off all appliances to avoid damages and safeguard their property.
NAN