Residents cry out over economic hardship caused by epileptic water, electricity supply in Kano
By Abdulganiyu, Hamisu Asosa, Abiodun Agboola
Millions of residents in the ancient city of Kano have decried what they described as economic and environmental hardships caused by water scarcity and epileptic power supply ravaging all parts of the state.
Investigations by our team of reporters revealed that residents in major part so Kano metropolis for over eight weeks have continued to live in darkness.
Further checks revealed that the temperature is reaching high over 40 degrees celsus, rising the demands for cold drinks and use of cooling systems, a necessity which have become practically unavailable .
A lecturer at the department of economics, Bayero University Kano, BUK Dr Badamasi Sani Mohammed , said the artisan sector of the economy is suffering huge loses from the dual scarcity.
He noted that the vein of the main stay of any economy is power supply.
The university don, who resides at Tudun Bujuwa Kurna further lamented that for over two decades Tudun Bujuwa residents relied on water vendors to service their domestic water needs .
Mudasir Ibrahim a resident in Tsamiyar Kara in Gezawa Local Government told our correspondent that Kara community has suffered severely from the acute power shortage that has hit the state.
He though opine that the grave power supply is largely responsible for the problem of water supply shortage been witnessed in their community, explaining that, boreholes which are their main sources of water supply are powered .
In a chat with Kano Reporters, 60 years old business woman simply identified as Iya Mariam , resident of Aitken road by Gold Coast in Sabon Gari, said she is short of words to explain the hardship been suffered due to lack of water supply in Sabon Gari township.
She said “scarcity of water supply has made it possible for sachet water producers and water vendors especially water jerrican truck pushers to maltreat us, we are at now their mercy.
She alleged that one jerrican of water , which usually cost N50 each is now sold at N100 per jerrican ,still at that we scramble to buy, because of scarcity, she added.
Commenting on the challenges stirred by epileptic power supply in the state, she said
“ poor electricity supply has caused my business to suffer so much loss, it affect my daily sales , everyday we have to buy ice block, this affects our profit margin, because ice block now cost thrice the initial price it was sold before now.
“ from the little profit we make from sales, we now have to also pay to charge our phones to keep communication lines open, the burden is too much.
Quizzed on the issue of power supply, Badamasi said the buoyancy of any economy is determine by the accessibility to adequate energy supply.
A cold room operator ,Mudasir Ibrahim said his cold room business has come under decreasing income generation , explaining that his production output and sales has decline by 100 percent.
He said the current power situation has culminated into profit loss by 100 percent, expressing fear that, if the current situation persists ,he may run out of business.
Also lamenting, beverage seller, Musbahu Abubakar, 33 years resident of Kofar Waika decried the noose diving of his trade owing to poor power supply.
According to him, since the power failure in the state, he has to buy ice block to ice his products to sustain sales.
He added that large number of small scale business owner cannot survive the present , he said, if the appropriate authorities fail to hurriedly address the myriad of problems associated with power failure in the state, the economic yoke will toughened, in turn lead to increase social vices in the state
Another cold room owner, Mrs Olanipekun R. A, 55years old resident of Dakata quarters within Kano metropolitan, cried out that her business is encountering challenges due to water scarcity and the cost of transporting her products from Dakata area to her targeted customers located in Sabon Gari, and Brigade quarters .
She narrated that “ the issue of scarce water supply and electricity has affected lots of economic activities in the state, citing that ice block which cost N 30 naira is now sold N80 or N100 , and 150 due to high demands caused by the weather conditions .
In Nigeria, Kano not an exception, those responsible for either generation, distribution or transmission of power have continued to trade blames over whose responsible for the failure to deliver adequately on the bulk of problems bordering on power supply problems.
Kano state authorities have also blamed poor power supply saying it’s the major factor that hinders the ferrying of pipe borne water to the populace .
Further, the state has blamed the situation on rusty pipe, noting that the overhauling of the water channels would gulp huge sums that would drain the financial capacity of the state government, calling on communities and corporate institutions to come to the aid of the state help salvage millions of people prone to stiffened sufferings, if the hardship persists.
