Two weeks after a widespread blackout, power has finally been restored in Jalingo, the capital of Taraba State, and across other states in Nigeria’s North-East region, as observed by Newsmen.
The prolonged outage, which left the region in darkness, was reportedly caused by the vandalism of several power stations.
While authorities have yet to release details on the extent of the damage or identify those responsible for the vandalism, the restoration has brought relief to residents and businesses who struggled to function during the outage.
Some small business owners told Newsmen that the restoration of power has not only brought relief but also allows them to resume operations.
They urged the state government and regional leaders to collaborate with the power distribution company to prevent future disruptions in the state and across the region.
They also called on the company to partner with security agencies to better protect their equipment from vandals.
“As for me, the only way to prevent incessant power failures in this part of the country is for the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) to enlist the help of security operatives to protect their equipment,” suggested Lazarus Udeh.
Udeh, who identified himself as a vulcanizer, said the prolonged two-week outage negatively impacted both individuals and the state government.
“For this reason, I urge our state government to provide all necessary support to YEDC to help them serve us better,” he added.
However, while power has been restored, some areas within Jalingo are still experiencing unstable supply.
A YEDC staff member, who spoke to DAILY POST on condition of anonymity, said the company is working around the clock to ensure consistent power supply reaches all parts of the state.