By PERET KWARPO
For many residents of Mangu Local Government Area in Plateau State, nights have grown longer and days more arduous as the local electricity supply remains chronically unstable.
In several communities, power outages have stretched for weeks, plunging homes into darkness and forcing families to adapt to life without reliable light.
What was once a basic necessity has become a luxury that many can no longer count on.
“I can’t even remember the last time we had steady power,” said Mr. Ayuba Allananan, a resident of Mangu town, shaking his head.
“We just manage every day as it comes.”
Businesses, students groan under blackout
The impact of the persistent outage is most severe for small business owners.
For traders who rely on electricity to preserve goods, particularly those dealing in frozen foods and cold drinks, the losses are becoming unbearable.
Mrs. Felicia Andarawus, a local shop owner, expressed her frustration over the situation.
“I buy goods to sell, but without power, everything spoils,” she said.
“I end up losing money instead of making a profit.”
With the rising cost of fuel, running generators is no longer a viable alternative for many residents.
What used to serve as a backup source of electricity has become too expensive to maintain, leaving families with few options.
Students are also feeling the strain as examinations draw nearer.
Many say studying at night has become almost impossible due to the continued blackout.
“We use candles or small lamps, but it’s not the same,” one secondary school student noted.
“Sometimes you just give up because it’s too dark to see.”
Beyond homes and businesses, the blackout is also threatening essential services within the local communities.
Residents demand lasting solution
Local health workers are increasingly concerned about how the irregular electricity supply is affecting the storage of medicines and vaccines, especially in smaller clinics lacking robust backup systems.
While the exact cause of the persistent outage remains unclear to the public, some community members point to ageing infrastructure and poor maintenance as major factors responsible for the crisis.
Others suspect that the vandalism of power facilities is contributing to the situation.
Community leaders said they have raised these concerns with the relevant authorities, but residents insist that little has changed despite repeated complaints.
The silence from utility providers, according to many residents, is becoming as frustrating as the darkness itself.
Despite the hardship, a quiet resilience remains among the people.
Each evening, as the sun sets, families gather outside their homes to share conversations under the open sky, making the best of a difficult situation.
However, there is a collective agreement among residents that the present condition is not sustainable.
“All we are asking for is light,” one resident said.
“It’s not too much. It’s something every community deserves.”
For now, Mangu remains in the dark, waiting and hoping for a permanent resolution that will bring lasting relief to its people.