Residents of communities served by the Doma Feeder on Saturday voiced their frustration over recurring and prolonged electricity outages, especially during festive periods, accusing the Jos Electricity Distribution Company of negligence and exploitation.
In a strongly worded open letter dated June 6, addressed to stakeholders in the power sector, government authorities, civil society organisations, and the general public, which was obtained by our correspondent on Saturday the residents described the outages as both “regrettable and alarming.”
The letter was signed by a spokesperson simply identified as Alhaji Tukur.
They expressed dismay over what they see as a recurring pattern of electricity supply being deliberately cut off shortly after payments are collected from households.
The letter partly read, “About a week before festive periods, electricity distribution agents come around to collect payments for electricity.
“But almost immediately after the payments are made, the power goes off and stays that way for days, sometimes weeks. It feels like we are being taken advantage of.”
The group lamented the absence of communication and accountability from the power company, noting that efforts to reach out for explanations have been consistently ignored.
“Calls go unanswered, and when we visit their offices, no one is willing to give a clear answer. This silence is disrespectful and deeply concerning,” the letter partly added.
While the residents acknowledged that power supply issues can sometimes stem from technical challenges, they emphasised that the lack of proactive communication and contingency planning on the part of the electricity distributors was unacceptable.
“We’re not asking for miracles. We understand that problems can occur. But the least we expect is honest communication and a willingness to engage with the community,” said the residents.
The group called for a series of immediate actions, including an independent investigation into the frequent power outages, a formal apology from the distribution company, and a halt to what they described as exploitative payment practices.
The letter said, “People should not be forced to pay for a service that is clearly not being delivered. Withholding electricity during periods that are meant to be joyful and unifying for our community is a betrayal of public trust.”
They also demanded the creation of a transparent and responsive communication channel between power sector operators and residents, stressing that timely information could ease public frustration and build trust.
The residents insist they will continue to speak out until there is a change in how electricity services are managed in their area. “We deserve fair treatment and reliable power like every other Nigerian community,” the open letter concluded.
When reached, Head of Corporate Services, JEDC, Musa Abdullahi, promised to look into the residents’ plea.
He said, “Thanks alot for sharing, I assure you that something will be done about their concerns.”
Continuing Abdullahi added, “I might not be in the know of any correspondence from any community that is feeding from that feeder, but that does not mean there is no problem affecting supply to the feeder. I will forward it to the appropriate officers concern.”
