The recent revelation that residents of Lafia and the entire Nasarawa South zone are being forced to survive on a meagre five megawatts of electricity is not just disappointing—it is outrightly unacceptable. For a zone that includes key local government areas such as Lafia, Awe, Keana, Obi, and Doma, this allocation is a glaring example of systemic neglect and disregard for the welfare of the people.
Five megawatts is grossly inadequate by any standard. It is not even sufficient to power a single major institution like Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic, let alone sustain households, businesses, hospitals, and schools across an entire senatorial district. Yet, this paltry supply is expected to serve the capital city and its surrounding communities—a situation that exposes deep inefficiencies in the distribution system managed by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).
The implications are severe. Businesses are collapsing under the strain of unreliable power, small-scale entrepreneurs are being pushed out of operation, and residents are left to rely on expensive and environmentally harmful alternatives. At a time when energy is the backbone of economic growth and development, Nasarawa South is being pushed further behind.
We therefore call on Governor Abdullahi Sule and other critical stakeholders from Nasarawa South to rise to the occasion and strongly oppose this injustice. Their intervention should reflect the frustration of a people who have endured far too much neglect for far too long. Calling AEDC to order is not just necessary—it is long overdue.
This allocation is more than a technical shortfall; it is an affront to the people and government of Nasarawa state, by extension, it undermines the dignity of the entire state. Lafia, as the capital, symbolizes the pride and identity of its people. To leave it underpowered is to diminish the status of Nasarawa State itself.
The people of Nasarawa are rightfully proud of their capital, but pride alone cannot power homes or drive economic progress. What is needed now is urgent intervention to ensure fair and adequate electricity distribution. AEDC must be held accountable, and a sustainable solution must be implemented without delay.
Anything short of this would amount to a continued disservice to the people, whose patience is already stretched thin. The time for excuses is over; the time for action is now.
And the question remains: who cut the power?