By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse
Jigawa State Governor, Malam Umar Namadi, has reconnected 104 communities in Taura and Ringim local government areas to the national grid, ending a crippling 16-year blackout that had stifled economic and social life across the region.
Commissioning the large-scale electrification project, Governor Namadi said the development marks a major milestone in his administration’s drive to improve living standards statewide. He described the restoration as a fulfilment of a core campaign promise and a transformative moment for communities that have endured more than a decade and a half without electricity.
“This administration is committed to transforming the social and economic lives of our people, both in rural and urban areas,” he said. “Expanding electrification is central to our 12-point agenda to boost energy access, spur economic growth, and curb rural-urban migration.”
The State Commissioner for Power and Energy, Engr. Surajo Musa, explained that the government undertook extensive rehabilitation of collapsed power lines, replaced faulty transformers, and upgraded distribution networks to ensure reliable supply. Power is now drawn from the Gagarawa substation, serving major towns such as Gujungu, Kwalam, Majiya, Sabon Garin ‘Ya’ya and Yan Dutse.
For 16 years, the blackout had disrupted livelihoods, crippled small businesses, pushed up living costs, and hampered access to clean water, healthcare and communication services.
Engr. Musa urged residents to take ownership of the facilities and guard them against vandalism to maintain stable supply.