- Residents urgently call for action to connect Jalingo to the Kashinbilla Hydro-Power Station amid a prolonged power outage
- Bulus James highlights the power diversion from Kashinbilla to neighbouring states, exacerbating the power crisis in Jalingo
Amid a prolonged power outage spanning over 12 days in Jalingo, the capital of Taraba State, residents are urgently calling for action to connect the town to the Kashinbilla Hydro-Power Station, situated in the state’s southern region.
With a capacity to generate 40 megawatts, the station presents a viable solution to the city’s current power crisis.
Expressing their frustrations, Abubakar Sani, a prominent rice miller and businessman in Jalingo, lamented the unequal power distribution across the state.
He decried the unfairness of the southern senatorial zone enjoying uninterrupted power supply while the rest, including Jalingo, suffer from chronic outages.
Sani emphasized that as the state capital, Jalingo hosts a significant population, numerous institutions, hospitals, and government ministries, all of which rely on reliable electricity for efficient functioning.
Bulus James, another resident, lamented the diversion of power generated by the Kashinbilla Hydro-Power Station to neighbouring states, leaving Jalingo and other parts of Taraba in darkness. He highlighted that the recent disruption in power supply from the Gombe power line due to vandalism has further exacerbated the situation.
James urged both the federal and Taraba State governments to prioritize connecting the state’s central and northern zones to the Kashinbilla Hydro-Power Station.