By Godwin Agia, Jalingo
The Taraba state government on Thursday expressed grave concern over the worsening power supply situation in the State and criticized the federal government for its perceived negligence in addressing the total blackout.
Engr. Naomi Tanko Agbu, Commissioner of Energy and Economic Development for Taraba State, voiced the state government’s dismay over the power crisis that has plunged Taraba and neighboring states into darkness, severely impacting business activities in the region.
During a media briefing in Jalingo, she highlighted the recent disruption in electricity supply caused by the vandalization of four transmission line towers along the Jos-Gombe 330kV line on April 22, 2024.
“This issue is a federal matter, and I want to assure you that we are taking it very seriously. We have been working tirelessly with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) to address the situation. We have also contacted the Minister of Power, and we are yet to receive positive feedback regarding the weeks of blackout in a state capital such as Jalingo in Nigeria.
“The prolonged response time is concerning, as it indicates complete neglect by the federal government towards Taraba State and the region. The recent events have highlighted the vulnerability of the network serving the North-East region. The urgent need for a robust plan, such as the North-East ring circuit proposed in TCN’s expansion plan to connect the North-East to the South of Nigeria, cannot be overstated and should be implemented immediately by the federal government.
“As some of you may already know, other states have received partial reconnection to electricity supply through the back feeding of the old TCN 132kV line stretching from Jos via Bauchi, Gombe, Savannah to Yola and Jalingo. However, the technical constraints and equipment limitations from the TCN end pose significant challenges. The risk of supplying electricity to Jalingo at this point far outweighs the benefit to our people.
“Our priority is the restoration of electricity supply to affected areas quickly and safely. The TCN contractor has already been mobilized to the site and has commenced reconnection works with his teams,” she stated.
Agbu urged Tarabans to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities or individuals observed near transmission line towers or electrical facilities attempting to vandalize any infrastructure. She also noted that YEDC has provided phone numbers and contact information for whistleblowers to report such incidents.
