April 10, (THEWILL)- The Network of Civil Society Organisations in Borno State (NECSOB) has called on the Federal Government, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to, as a matter of urgency, restore electricity supply in Borno State, which has been in total blackout for almost a month.
The State Chairman of NECSOB, Comrade Bulama Abiso, who made the call at a press conference in Maiduguri, on Wednesday, also called for the reversal of the increase in electricity bills.
Comrade Abiso appealed to the Borno State Government and all other relevant stakeholders to support the reversal of this anti-people policy which would inflict suffering on the already overstretched people of the state.
“We’re also appealing to the Federal Government, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Generation Companies (GENCO), Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), the Borno State Government and all other relevant stakeholders to support the reversal of this anti-people policy, considering the current recovery status of the state.
“We also observed with dismay how the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) distributes electricity bills for the months of February and March to households when there has been no power supply.
“This concern is affecting every household on the estimated billing system occasioned by abrupt disruption of free installation of the metering systems that ought to have been distributed but are now alleged to be sold at exorbitant prices.
“Consequently, we are requesting that YEDC resume the free distribution and installation of the metering system to every household in Borno State. We’re equally calling on the YEDC to also enhance its distribution capacity to sufficiently meet the demands of the metropolis.
“This is because we have observed in recent times that the consequences associated with the lack of power supply in the state include loss and dysfunctional state of small businesses and livelihood ventures, water scarcity across the state, which has led to untold hardship faced by people in the revered month of Ramadan.
“We, however, acknowledge the efforts of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of the State, Prof. Babagana Umara Zullum, in intervening on the issue of restoring power in the state.
“But we wish to call on all concerned stakeholders to rally around His Excellency to bring this lingering matter to a definite end. Indeed, his comment has reawakened our hope and confidence that power will soon be restored in the state,” Abiso said
He also said that the network has planned to embark on advocacy visits to all the electricity stakeholders in the state and northeast to ensure the people’s interests and wishes are sustained even if it will warrant the network mobilising other states of the northeast region to carry out a match protest to the State and National Assemblies.
Abiso, however, noted that the network will never relent in its efforts and stand to ensure justice is done to the harrowing plight of the Borno people.
