The Presidential Candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has emphasized the urgent need to explore alternative power sources in response to the on-going power outage in northern Nigeria.
The blackout, in its eighth day yesterday, has severely impacted businesses and essential services. Kwankwaso expressed his concerns on his official Facebook page, highlighting the vandalism of the crucial 330kV Shiroro-Kaduna power line, which supplies electricity to Kano, Kaduna and other northern States.
He stated, It is very disheartening that many parts of Northern Nigeria are in total darkness today due to vandalism on the important 330kV Shiroro-Kaduna power line that supplies the states of Kano and Kaduna and another line that supplies Bauchi, Gombe, and other parts of the North-East.
Kwankwaso also pointed out the exacerbating effect of high petrol and diesel costs, which have further plunged homes into darkness and forced factories to shut down. He stressed the need for a robust power sector capable of addressing large-scale problems to prevent future disruptions.
It is about time that we look into alternative power sources to address our energy needs and we need to exploit the abundant resources available to this country, he urged.
Kwankwaso called on state governments and private investors to invest in alternative electricity sources, citing his own efforts in Kano, where two turbines were installed at the Challawa Gorge and Tiga Dams, in order to reduce reliance on the National Grid.
