Small and medium scale enterprises in Kano metropolis, comprising mainly garment makers, have resorted to independent electricity marketers to power their businesses. This is owing to the failure of the traditional  power distribution outfits, they said.

The initiative, which has been operational for years in some parts of Kano, including markets and residential areas, became more popular in recent times following the drastic decline in power supply.

Daily Trust on Sunday learnt that the system has saved many businesses in Kano from total collapse, especially at the height of the present economic meltdown.

When our reporters visited the Fagge tailoring centre, many shop owners, believed to have subscribed to the independent power services, business were seen using generating sets to work.

Owners decried the state of public power supply in the commercial city, saying the situation forced them to run their businesses at the mercy of independent electricity marketers who render services with laxity and carelessness.

Alhaji Aliyu Musa, a garment maker and one of the subscribers of the alternative power source popularly known as “Merger” at Fagge, who has been on ‘power Merger’ for more than a year, told Daily Trust on Sunday that neither the public power source nor the independent distributors served their businesses optimally.

Both clients and independent power distributors faulted the government on its inability to ensure steady power supply to support small and medium scale businesses. According to them, it was government’s failure to provide adequate power supply that resulted to the emergence of the ‘Merger’ in most parts of the ancient commercial city.

In Fagge alone, our correspondents observed seven independent power vendors, code named, “Merger.’’ They supply electricity to more than 200 tailoring shops on a daily basis.

Speaking on the motive behind their services, Abubakar Abdu Ismail, who is one of the distributors of independent power, stressed that the Merger was conceived out of the desire to assist the less privileged in the society, who cannot afford a power generating set to run their businesses.

“We were forced to come up with this system because we saw the need as a result of frequent power outages, and sometimes, blackout, from the public sector. We discovered that people, especially our youth with special skills in tailoring, needed it to run their businesses. Tailoring business cannot be run without electricity,’’ he said.

He said the main purpose of the Merger was not to phase out the public power sector as perceived by the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO), but to serve as an alternative power source to support small scale businesses.

Speaking on their relationship with government agencies responsible for power distribution, some of the independent distributors who spoke to our correspondents said they enjoyed a cordial relationship with KEDCO and other relevant agencies after the initial disagreement.

“We had problem with the KEDCO in the beginning, to the extent that they asked us to remove our wires from their poles. But thank God that it was resolved amicably. We explained to them that our objective was not to make their services irrelevant. We cannot compete with them in any way. We made them understand that it was the instability in their services that led to this initiative. It was agreed that anytime their services improved, we would stop our own.

“About four weeks ago when we had steady power supply from the KEDCO, we didn’t operate. In fact, during that period, some of our friends quit the business. So, if power becomes steady, you don’t need to tell the private investor to quit,’’ Ismail said.

Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that under the new initiative, close to 2,000 operators of sewing machines subscribed to the independent power source for seven hours daily at the rate of N200 or N250 per sewing machine.

While some of the clients who spoke to our correspondents said the Merger was a total solution to their challenge, others expressed some reservations about its benefits.

Alhaji Aliyu Musa, a tailor along Dandali Street, expressed dissatisfaction at the manner the Merger works. He identified intermittent disruptions due to overloading as the major problem with the initiative. He said some of the vendors would not heed to the instructions guiding how much load each machine can accommodate, a situation that leads to low current and sometimes frequent outages.

“To me, there is no much difference with the public power supply. The disruption we suffer on public lines is almost the same as Merger. At the time you need the light most it will go off, simply because the generator has been overloaded. When it is restored, it won’t be strong to power the equipment,’’ he explained.

According to him, because of interruptions in the supply chain, he prefers his personal generating set to the Merger, saying it gives him more confidence.

He urged the independent distributors to always adhere to the guidelines to enhance the performance of the machines and to satisfy their customers.

Another client, Sadiq Ahmad, also advised the independent power vendors to ensure regular maintenance of their equipment to avoid frequent outages.

But Sani Kabiru expressed satisfaction with the services, saying it had helped in empowering talented youths in Fagge. He, however, called on the government to put in place, necessary modalities to ensure steady power.

While the Merger is fully utilised by tailors at Fagge and other business places, it is not the same at the Abubakar Rimi Market because the leadership of the market is yet to consent to it. As a result of that, the traders use their personal generators. 

A trader at the market, Abdullahi Adamu said, “We wanted to also have the Merger here, but our leaders refused. It was started but stopped by the leadership.”

He said it would have reduced the cost of fueling their generators if it was allowed in the market.

When contacted, the leadership of the market said the issue of power Merger was not bothering them, adding that they could mobilise the initiative in a day if their main problem was addressed.

“What Merger are you talking about? Is the issue of power our problem now? Let us get what will make us continue with our business after the fire disaster that affected the market sometime ago. Let the government do something for us. Up till now we have not received anything from either the federal or state government, not even the Dangote committee. So, as far as our people are concerned, electricity is not our problem now,” said Alhaji Ali Bagadaza, the chairman of Abubakar Rimi Market, Sabon Gari, Kano. 

Daily Trust on Sunday further gathered that apart from traders, people in residential areas have also subscribed to the independent power supply.

 In Dandago and Yan Kifi communities of Gwale Local Government Area, both traders and people in residential areas subscribe to the power Merger.

 Malama Aisha Abdullahi, a housewife at Dandago, who operates her tailoring business in her house, said they subscribed to the Merger at the rate of N200, from 6pm to 12am every day. 

“Since we started this Merger, the problem of lack of power has reduced. Every day, from 6pm to 12am, we are sure of light in the house,” she said. 

When contacted on the issue, the spokesman of KEDCO, Muhammed Kandi, said they were aware of the Merger initiative but had not entered into partnership with the operators. He, however, said what the people behind the initiative were doing was not against the law because, according to the law, no individual is allowed to provide more than one megawatt,

“What they are providing is not up to one megawatt, so their operation is not illegal. However, our concern is that it could be dangerous, either through some installations or any other means. That is why we are not encouraging it,” Kandi said. 

POSTED BY:OPUOMONI PRIYE

DATE:05/06/2017