The Bauchi State House of Assembly has called on the state government to urgently intervene in restoring electricity to several communities that have been plunged into darkness for months due to dilapidated infrastructure and natural disasters.
In a plenary presided over by the speaker, Abubakar Sulaiman, the member representing Udubo Constituency, Muhammad Lele, raised a motion urging the state government to restore power supply from Dambam to Tarmasuwa-Zindiwa-Yaba-Wabu-Kesa and Bulaudo communities.
Lele lamented that residents of the affected areas have suffered persistent and unstable power outages caused by faulty transformers, damaged distribution lines and neglected infrastructure.
He stressed that the blackout has crippled small businesses, disrupted the operations of health facilities, and worsened the general well-being of the communities.
“The persistent power outage in these areas has forced many businesses to shut down, while health facilities are finding it difficult to deliver basic services. Urgent intervention is required to rehabilitate the network and restore power supply to the affected communities,” he said.
Also, the member representing Ganjuwa West Constituency, Adamu Kawu, sought the intervention of the state government to restore power to Ungwar Ja’o and the Yuli campus of Sa’adu Zungur University.
According to him, the areas and the neighbouring communities have been in total blackout since last year after a heavy windstorm collapsed about 28 electricity poles.
He added that the sad development has disrupted academic activities, research and learning for thousands of students while crippling households and local businesses.
“The situation has created opportunities for criminal elements to vandalise cables, worsening the challenges of restoring electricity,” Kawu noted.
Our correspondent reports that after deliberations, the House resolved that the two motions be communicated to the relevant authorities.
The House further directed the compilation of a comprehensive list of electricity-related challenges submitted by lawmakers across various constituencies for urgent government action.
