Phone charging vendors in Gombe State are making brisk business over about 120 hours of power outage in most parts of the north.
Our correspondent reports that the vendors are popularly known as ‘Masu chajin waya’.
Recall that power was interrupted since Monday.
To charge power banks cost between N300 to N500, while a phone is charged for N200 for a day, prior to now charged between N50 to N100 while power power banks were charged between N150 to N200.
Lamenting the situation on Saturday, a Gombe resident, Grace Johnson told our correspondent that the prolonged outage has made life difficult.
“To charge in a Masu chajin wire used to be cheaper. Despite been more expensive now they may still not allow it to full. Now I charge power bank for N300,” she added.
Also speaking, Salihu Abubakar, urged Transmission Company to expedite action towards ensuring that power is restored.
“We are suffering after days of darkness TCN only this Wednesday confirmed that they have seen the problem affecting the entire region. Phone charging vendors are taking advantage of us, the pain is becoming much,” Abubakar added.
A vendor, who simply identified himself as Salisu, told our correspondent that the new cost was influenced by amount of petroleum,”It’s not our fault. Fuel is expensive and we need to manage, the situation was worsened by the over five days of blackout in the state,” he added.
However, TCN in a press statement signed by Ndidi Mbah, General Manager, Public Affairs dated 23rd October, 2024 disclosed that it linesmen have discovered faults.
Mbah’s statement partly read, “A team of linesmen from the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, has discovered the fault on the Ugwuaji Apir 330kV Double Circuit transmission line, at about 5pm this evening, in the Igumale area of Benue State.
“The fault area of the transmission line, which measures about one span, was found to be a snapped 330kV transmission line located in the swampy forest of Igumale. Having made the discovery earlier in the evening of today, arrangements are already ongoing to mobilise equipment and materials that would be moved to the site of the incident to enable TCN commence repair works.
“Due to the difficult and swampy nature of the terrain, TCN would require to move a bulldozer and other materials for the repair works from Enugu Regional office of TCN to the site of the incident. A Hiab vehicle would also be moved to Igumale to help TCN properly tension the transmission line.
