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• Our businesses have been ruined
From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
For residents of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, and its environs where electricity is powered by the national grid, it has been 105 days of anguish, discomfort, and economic distress.
Vandals had, in July, in separate incidents at Igbogene in Bayelsa State, Okougbe in Ahoada East, Emezi in Ahoada, and Mbiama also in Ahaoda West – all in Rivers State, destroyed the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Towers, which plunged the areas into darkness.
Initial Investigations revealed that about 13 transmissions along the Ahoada- Yenagoa 132 KV double circuit transmission line were affected. Out of the 13 towers, nine were said to have been destroyed while four were on the verge of destruction. Further checks revealed that three towers were discovered in the swamp to have been destroyed as well.
The news of the destruction was received with mixed feelings, as people thought it would be a matter of days before the towers would be fixed. However, days rolled into weeks, triggering apprehension over the extent of damage. The worst fears were confirmed when the TNC released a statement indicating that the people were in for a long spell of darkness.
“Given the extent of destruction to the towers and the ongoing work on previously vandalised transmission towers, it may take several months for TCN to complete the rebuilding and stringing of the towers to restore power supply to the state,” said Ndidi Mbah, General Manager, Public Affairs, TCN.
In Yenagoa, business owners and several households have been at the receiving end of the blackout in the state. For Mrs Blessing Sobotie, the high cost of fuel during the period of the blackout that hit Yenagoa was her worst economic crisis since she started her business.
Hear her: “The situation is no longer funny. Since the last week of July when this blackout started, we have been buying fuel to run my restaurant at least to make the drinks and water cold for people that come to eat. But with the high cost of fuel now, it is no longer economically wise. I used all my profits to buy fuel, leaving me with no money to even run my business.”
If Mrs. Soboitie is still in business, Mrs. Ebiomboere Esther has closed her business as she could no longer cope.
Her words: “I run a restaurant business. But I have closed it down for now as I can no longer cope with the expenses. I tried to increase the price of the food, but it drove the customers away so I reverted to the old price. All the money I make is used to buy fuel. The situation is unbearable. For now, I am selling Okro and vegetables at Kpansia market.”
At the Swali market, several traders running cold rooms have shut down also because of the high cost of keeping their business running without light in the state.
Solomon Eluzie lamented that Bayelsa State should not be in the situation it is in right now. According to him, the state should be running on independent power rather than depend on the national grid whose towers are prone to destruction by vandals.
“This cold room business is my life. I have really tried to keep it going against all odds. I have faced several challenges and never gave up. But at this point, I have to let go. I have stopped the business before it takes my life. I spend double my profits to buy fuel and prevent frozen foods from getting bad. But even with my best efforts, I cannot afford to run the generator all night. It is detrimental to my well-being. So, for now, I have to take a break from the business. It is a terrible situation.’’
Innocent Cupatino, who runs a business centre, told Saturday Sun that he has devised a formula to ensure he does not go bankrupt from running his business.
“What I do is that I only put on the generator if there is a big job. If you want to photocopy one page or two, I cannot because of that put on my generator. That way I have been able to at least reduce my expenses.”
Innocent is not the only one cutting costs. Those running hotels have introduced a timetable for when the light comes on. At Holi Suites, the light is put off at midnight and switched on again at 5 pm, even if there are guests in the rooms. At Green Villa Hotel, the light is switched off at 12 and switched on at 4 pm.
Jerry Gbasue, a manager in one of the hotels, said the measures being introduced are to keep the business afloat.
“For some of us in the hospitality business, retaining our customers is key and that is why we have to introduce austerity measures to make our business survive. The introduction of a timetable for when light comes on is one of those key business decisions. Hotels that still run 24-hour light have increased their rate by over 150 per cent. Few people can afford that. So, we have to take these measures not to hurt our businesses.”
In several households in Yenagoa metropolis, the light comes on at about 7 pm and goes off by 10 pm.
Mr Kayode Aderenle, an automobile engineer who lives in Opolo, said he ensures that light comes into his house by 7 pm.
“I switched on the light in my house at 7 pm to allow us to have dinner, clean up, and watch the news. By 15 minutes to 10, everyone knows it is time to prepare to sleep. I resorted to this method to save cost. The buying of fuel was getting too much and I could no longer cope with the situation.”
Amid the distress faced by the people, the state government has tried to offer hope to the people. Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has said the frequency of power outages in the state was of serious concern to his administration.
Senator Diri, in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, lamented that the state had again been thrown into darkness following activities of vandals and the collapse of two 132kV lines that transmit electricity to the state from Owerri in Imo State through Ahoada in Rivers State.
The governor said the state government was already working with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to restore power as quickly as possible.
Managing Director of the Bayelsa State Electricity Company Limited, Olice Kemenanabo, who confirmed that the TCN officials were handling the situation, appealed for patience.
Kemenanabo, however, urged people of the state to be vigilant in order to curb the activities of vandals causing untold hardship to electricity consumers.
He also advised the public to report any suspicious activity around the towers to the security agencies just as he warned vandals to steer clear of the facility in order not to worsen the situation.
The BECL MD stated that the latest incident had made it imperative for the TCN to take urgent steps to establish a work centre in Bayelsa, which he said is a call the state has been making since 2021.
According to him, this will enable ease of intervention and quick response when such a situation occurs.
Also the Commissioner for Information, Orientation, and Strategy Hon. Ebiuwou Koku- Obiyai has also conducted an inspection of the ongoing repairs on the vandalised transmission tower at the Okogbe axis in Rivers State.
The inspection was to assess the progress of the repairs and address challenges faced by the team.
Mrs Koku-Obiyai noted that the swift restoration of power is a top priority for the Bayelsa State Government. She therefore commended the engineers and contractors for their commitment to ensuring the prompt return of electricity to the state.
Hon. Obiyai, accompanied by the Managing Director of Bayelsa Electricity Company Limited, Kemenanabo expressed satisfaction with the progress of the repairs.
The engineers confirmed that the restoration work was at its advanced stages, with completion expected within weeks. However, they noted some challenges, particularly in erecting one of the towers in a swampy area, which complicated the process.
The TCN had given November 6 as the date for the restoration of power. But light is yet to be restored several days after the deadline, fuelling anxiety that December might be the new date for the restoration of light.
Saturday Sun learned that two workers at the site fell from the towers and died from injuries they sustained in the accident.
The Chairman of Civil Liberties Organisation in Bayelsa, David West said the Bayelsa state government should roll up its sleeves and give Bayelsans a 24-hour Independent Power Plant.
“As a matter of fact, the non-availability of electricity as a result of the vandalism of TCN towers for the past three months is appalling. We are not talking of a street, a village, or a community but a state. It has crippled a lot of businesses. It is really disturbing. It is even harder for pure water sellers.
“The implication for economic activities is dire. In Bayelsa we don’t even have much economic activity before now, and with the electricity outage, it is very devastating. I want to urge Governor Douye Diri to seek ways to give Bayelsans independent power. We cannot continue to rely on the national grid. Before, electricity used to be on the Exclusive List. Now that it has been removed, the Bayelsa State government should work and put Bayelsa on IPP.”
Even if power is restored today, several areas within Yenagoa metropolis would remain in darkness because several armoured cables have been stolen.
Indeed, for residents of Yenagoa, the long wait for electricity could linger for long.
