Connect with us

Metro

Nigerians plunged into darkness as national grid collapses again

Published

on

The hopes of many Nigerians celebrating the Easter period in the comfort of their homes may be truncated after the national electricity grid collapsed again on Thursday.

The national grid’s collapse was the fourth time
in the first three months of the year, despite assurances from the Minister of Power, Adelabu Adebayo, that everything had been put in place to curb the incessant collapse of the grid.

This recent blackout occured when the national electricity grid centrally managed from Osogbo, Osun State, suffered a collapse at 4:30 pm on Thursday, leaving millions of homes and businesses without power.

According to a statement from several distribution companies (DisCos) across the country, the collapse caused their feeders to become inactive resulting in widespread blackouts across the country.

Data from the Transmission Company of Nigeria’s (TCN’s) further showed that the grid collapse had left to power dropping from 2,984 megawatts (MW) to zero in an hour, with all 21 plants connected to the grid ceasing operations by 5 pm.

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), in a statement on the situation, said the power outage was due to a system failure from the national grid.

“The system collapsed at about 16:28 hours today 28 March 2024, causing the outage currently being experienced across our franchise area,” the AEDC said in a statement.

“We appeal for your understanding as all stakeholders are working hard to restore normal supply,” it added.

In a notice to its customers, the management of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) said the system collapse resulted in a loss of power supply across its network.

“We are currently working with our partners as we hope for speedy restoration of the grid. We will keep you updated as soon as the power supply is restored. Kindly bear with us,” EKEDC said.

Major power generation plants which were affected by the grid collapse included th Egbin, Afam, Geregu, Ibom Power, Jebba, Kainji, Odukpani, and Olorunsogo, among others, which remained dormant, further exacerbating the electricity deficit nationwide.

Over the past 10 years since the privatisation of the electricity industry, the grid has experienced collapses a staggering 141 times, underscoring the magnitude of the systemic challenges facing the sector.

Metro

‘Rights must go with responsibilities,’ traditional leader cautions on use of social media

Published

on

Mansa, Luapula Province: Annette Katema, the Head Woman of Chitumbi Village in Mansa District, voices concerns about the detrimental effects of irresponsible social media usage.

In a recent interview with Zambia Monitor, Katema argued that social media platforms were contributing to delinquency among the youth, particularly platforms like WhatsApp, TikTok, and Facebook.

“Children are being exposed to inappropriate content on WhatsApp, which is harmful to their upbringing. Social media platforms are fostering moral decay,” remarked Head Woman Chitumbi.

She stated that this trend undermined the cultural values that were essential for societal cohesion.

Katema expressed reservations about the prevalence of nudity and offensive language on social media, calling for stricter moderation.

She advocated for proactive measures to steer young people away from harmful online content, suggesting the revitalization of traditional recreational activities like playhouses and sports.

“Instead of solely relying on punitive measures, let’s invest in creating positive alternatives to counter the allure of social media,” Katema proposed.

She urged the youth to uphold traditional values alongside their digital rights, stating the importance of responsible behavior online.

“We should not lose respect in the name of digital rights because rights should go with responsibilities,” the traditional leader said.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.

Continue Reading

Metro

President Tinubu finally returns to Nigeria amid speculations over his absence

Published

on

After spending the last two weeks out of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has finally returned to the country.

Tinubu, who returned to Nigeria on Wednesday morning, had departed the country two weeks ago, on April 23, for The Netherlands for a three-day official visit, honouring an invitation from the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte.

While in the European country, Tinubu participated in the Nigerian-Dutch Business and Investment Forum, which brought together heads of conglomerates and organisations in both countries.

After his engagements in The Netherlands, Tinubu, according to his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, proceeded to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to attend a World Economic Forum Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development which held between April 28–29.

However, after the summit, the president did not return to the country as he was said to have proceeded to London for a private visit which gave room to speculations over his health.

The Nigerian Presidency did not also help matters as there was no official statement on the President’s engagements, nor were they willing to douse the tension created by his absence, leading to Nigerians raising posers with the hashtag #WhereisTinubu.

In a tweet on Tuesday evening, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had revealed that Tinubu would be back in the country on Wednesday.

“President Bola Tinubu, along with his aides, will return to Nigeria tomorrow from Europe,” he had written.

The recent foreign trip was Tinubu’s 20th since assuming office on May 29, 2023, effectively logging 96 days abroad, which has made him one of Africa’s most globe-trotting leaders.

In his less than one year in office, President Tinubu has visited Paris, France (thrice); London, the United Kingdom (twice); Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (twice); Nairobi, Kenya; Porto Norvo, Benin Republic, New Delhi, India.

He has also taken a trip to Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; New York, the United States of America; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (twice); Berlin, Germany; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Dakar, Senegal; Doha, Qatar; and The Hague, The Netherlands.

Continue Reading

EDITOR’S PICK

Sports7 hours ago

Fifa honours Mercy Akide, the first African woman to play professional football in the USA

World football governing body, FIFA, has poured encomiums on former Super Falcons star, Mercy Akide-Udoh, who is on record as...

Metro8 hours ago

‘Rights must go with responsibilities,’ traditional leader cautions on use of social media

Mansa, Luapula Province: Annette Katema, the Head Woman of Chitumbi Village in Mansa District, voices concerns about the detrimental effects...

Tech8 hours ago

Job losses loom as Microsoft set to shut down Lagos tech centre

An estimated 500 jobs are at risk following the decision of United States-based multinational technology giant, Microsoft, to close down...

VenturesNow11 hours ago

Nigeria received $1bn tax income from Shell in 2023

Shell Nigeria, a multinational oil company, claims that through the operations of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited and...

Metro12 hours ago

President Tinubu finally returns to Nigeria amid speculations over his absence

After spending the last two weeks out of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has finally returned to the country. Tinubu, who...

VenturesNow1 day ago

Zimbabwe’s new gold-backed currency now official unit of exchange

Zimbabwe’s Treasury says that the newly introduced gold-backed currency is the official unit of exchange for transactions. It also stated...

Musings From Abroad1 day ago

Binance accuses Nigeria of setting dangerous precedent with detention of its executives

After its executives were invited to Nigeria and subsequently arrested as part of a crackdown on cryptocurrencies, the CEO of...

Uncategorized1 day ago

Namibia to receive $138.5 million W’Bank loan

The World Bank has announced that it has granted a $138.5 million loan to assist Namibia in strengthening its transmission...

Tech1 day ago

Nigeria to ban naira from crypto trading platforms

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Nigeria plans to delist the country’s currency, Naira, from all peer-to-peer cryptocurrency platforms to...

Strictly Personal1 day ago

In 64 years, how has IDA reduced poverty in Africa? By Tee Ngugi

The name of the organisation is as opaque as a name can get: World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA). I...

Trending