By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
Residents of Millennium City in Kaduna State have appealed to Governor Uba Sani to intervene in an electricity metering dispute that has resulted in the disconnection of power supply to the entire community.
The blackout, which began on Saturday, has reportedly affected more than 500 residents, including hospitals and patients within the estate, while also heightening security concerns among residents.
The Ministerial Plot Housing Estate Residents Association (MPHERA), in a statement issued in Kaduna, said the dispute arose from Kaduna Electric’s proposed blanket replacement of existing electricity meters across the estate.
Chairman of the association, Shafik Muazu Shira, stressed that residents were not opposed to electricity supply, proper metering or the replacement of defective meters.
He, however, said the residents were challenging the manner in which the proposed meter replacement was being implemented, noting that the matter was already before the courts.
Shira said residents had constituted an Electricity Committee to promote reliable electricity supply in Millennium City while protecting the legitimate interests of both consumers and Kaduna Electric.
He appealed to the electricity distribution company to allow the judicial process to run its course and refrain from actions capable of escalating the dispute while the case remains pending.
The association described the disconnection of the entire community over objections to the metering exercise as disproportionate, calling for immediate intervention by the relevant regulatory authorities.
Shira also expressed concern over plans to install electricity meters on poles, insisting that any such exercise must comply with the technical and regulatory requirements of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA).
According to him, NEMSA had previously carried out an independent technical assessment of meters within the affected estates and identified some units requiring replacement or further action.
He therefore urged Kaduna Electric to follow NEMSA’s recommendations and engage the affected residents before commencing any approved meter replacement exercise.
The MPHERA chairman recalled that residents and community structures in Millennium City had maintained cooperation with Kaduna Electric for nearly a decade, including providing support and infrastructure that facilitated electricity distribution in the area.
He urged the company to return to negotiations with the residents and seek a mutually acceptable solution instead of imposing a community-wide disconnection.
Residents said the prolonged blackout was already generating anxiety over security, particularly at night, warning that darkness could increase the vulnerability of residents and their property to criminal activities.
They also expressed concern about the impact of the outage on hospitals and patients within the community, stressing that the continued disruption of electricity could have serious consequences for essential services.
The residents appealed to Governor Sani to urgently intervene and prevail on Kaduna Electric to restore power while the court proceedings and relevant regulatory processes continue.
They further called on NERC and NEMSA to investigate the circumstances surrounding the disconnection and ensure that the rights of electricity consumers are adequately protected.
While reiterating their willingness to engage Kaduna Electric and the Kaduna State Government, the residents said their objective was to secure a lawful, peaceful and sustainable resolution of the dispute.
They urged all parties to exercise restraint, respect the ongoing judicial process and place the security and welfare of residents, businesses and essential service providers in Millennium City above the disagreement.
