Bauchi Business Owners Lament Epileptic Power Supply

In Bauchi State, unstable power supply has left local business owners struggling to keep their enterprises running, with many already counting losses.

Most of the businesses which rely on electricity could not stay afloat because they have no alternative as the prices of fuel skyrocketed beyond reach and it would not be profitable to fuel generating power sets to make up for the poor power supply being experienced at the moment.

The chairman of the Grinders Association of Bauchi, Abdulkarim Mahdi, described the situation as dire and counterproductive.

While highlighting the detrimental effects of the situation, he emphasised a need for immediate action to address the problem.

Similarly, the spokesperson of the Bauchi Welders Association, Uzairu Yahaya expressed concerns over the challenges faced by welders in the state due to the power outage.
He said many welders are unable to afford diesel to power their generators to sustain operations, an unwanted development further exacerbating their plight.

“Most of our members have closed because you only come to your workshop to look at people but you cannot do anything because there is no power supply,” he said.

Responding, the regional manager of the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JED) Rilwanu Shehu said the current situation is beyond its control, emphasising its commitment to providing reliable power to customers.

He said the low supply of power is a national issue, as electricity generation companies struggle to meet the demand nationwide.

Shehu revealed that the Bauchi regional office of JED used to receive about 30 megawatts of electricity for distribution, but due to low generation, it now receives only ten megawatts. He clarified that critical sectors receive priority in allocation.

Addressing concerns of selective power distribution, Shehu dismissed claims of bias, asserting that the company is not deliberately withholding power from certain areas.

He attributed the low generation to severe heat conditions and expressed hope for improvement once the rainy season begins.