Benue State’s Social Democratic Party governorship candidate, Prof. Sebastine Hon, SAN, has condemned the total power outage in the state capital amid the dispute between Jos Electricity Distribution Plc and the Benue State Government, calling the shutdown unacceptable and harmful to residents and the local economy.
Key takeaways
- Prof. Hon said Makurdi residents should not bear the consequences of a dispute involving JED and the state government.
- He urged the electricity distributor to reconnect the capital while pursuing legal channels to settle the disagreement.
- The blackout has disrupted commercial activity as well as hospitals, schools and homes, he said.
- Hon warned that the action could undermine JED’s public and corporate reputation.
Call for restoration of electricity
Hon issued the response in a weekend statement in Makurdi, saying he understood JED’s position in the face-off with the Benue government but rejected the decision to impose what he described as indirect and collective punishment on people who were not parties to the conflict.
He said cutting off electricity to the entire state capital was detrimental both to Benue residents and to the image of the distribution company. In his view, a proper examination of the legal position would show that JED was wrong to subject innocent consumers to such treatment. He said the company should take the warning seriously.
Economic and social impact
Hon argued that a disagreement between a government and a utility provider should not be transferred to consumers, particularly at a time when households and businesses are already dealing with difficult economic conditions.
He called on JED to review its decision and resume electricity supply to the capital while continuing to seek a lawful resolution of its dispute with the Benue State Government. The extended outage, he said, has severely constrained businesses, disrupted healthcare facilities and schools, and affected households across the city. He added that maintaining the blackout could further damage the company’s corporate standing.
