Blackout hits Kogi.

,,,,, Ubiquitous generator noise returns, business operators, others groan.
By Dawud Ahmed in Lokoja.
Residents of Lokoja, capital of Kogi state, north central Nigeria, have expressed serious displeasure over power rationing and in some instances,prolong total power outage in Lokoja and its environs by Abuja Electricity Distribution Company,AEDC, unabated.
Our correspondent who went round some areas in Lokoja reports on Monday that areas visited had no light some for 12 hours and others up to the time of this.
Residents of Ganaja and Gadumo quarters, phase 1 and 11, Andakolo,Fehintolu,Post office among other areas,who spoke with our correspondent on the issue,said they hardly get electricity for up to two hours in recent time. Others claimed they had no light for the past one week.
Our visit to commercial areas such as business centres at Post office areas, revealed the return of heavy sound of generators as the operators have reported to the use of such machine to run their businesses .
According to them, besides the generators making disturbing sound and polluting the atmosphere with emission of flames not too healthy for public health, the black had brought extra unexpected expenditure to their cost of production as they had to buy fuel at exorbitant prices to run the generators.
Virtually all business operators, from restaurants, barbing saloonists, beautique, filling stations, and other assorted business concerns as well as private users of electricity in Lokoja bemoan the power outage.
Feelers from other local government areas of the state indicate similar trend and experiences of the people.
The Reporters gathered that the problem has dimension beyond Kogi state.
According to Premium Times,
Nigeria’s electricity grid on Sunday, collapsed yet again, throwing several cities, including the nation’s capital Abuja, into darkness.
The paper qouted Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) as announced on Sunday that the collapse occurred at around 11 a.m.
“The Management of Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc (AEDC) wishes to inform its valued customers that the power outage being experienced is a result of a system failure from the national grid at 11:21 hours today, 4th February 2024 which has led to a nationwide power outage,” the company said.
“Be rest assured that we are working with the relevant stakeholders to restore power as soon as the grid is stabilized. We appeal for your patience,” it said.
Those interviewed called on the AEDC to expedite action in rectifying the problem with a view to returning the electricity to the social and economic life of the people to pick up again