*A very popular nigeria phase, this is an exclamation made immediately after power light has been restore after a while*
Ah Nigeria my country, blessed with so many good things but yet lack basic amenities even to the very least. Power failure has dealth with us so well that we don’t even hope on it anymore, to even think that the fuel situation in the country is nothing to write home about yet we business Men and women tend to strive daily because “we dont even have a choice, yes we have a choice to give up but we’d rather keep working irrespective of the situation to make a living
Last year october i moved in to my office space with so much in place, service on point, ambience on check with lots of industrial machines for swift production, everything was going on smoothly even though i was concern about the bills allocated to electricity (nepa bill like it’s popularly called here ) The amount wasn’t worth the supply we get monthly but i couldn’t speak out cause I used more appliances in the plaza. Each person was mandated to pay an estimated bill of #5000 whether or not we see light.
As at 2020 it felt like i was paying so much money to these people, but with what we experience in July 2021.
Ah 😧
I do not even have mouth to say it,
At first it felt normal but then again it became too serious and the worst of it all was that, There was no information concerning the new development.
Some say the transformer was bad, others said it needed maintenance but we were sha waiting for light and the entire region was black out.
Days turned in weeks then months and we didnt even get a flash of light.
My goodness, This not so serious issue then became all business owners Nightmare, Mine especially because of our standard of operation and the kinds of machines used to run productions we have to keep the office running regardless of the light situation thereby turning our back up option to the one and only option. We used Generator & fuel supply for a maximum of 10hours a day (opening time 8am -6pm) there are days where we stay back at the shop till pass 10 depending on how urgent and demanding the jobs are.
An average 10hours office time runs on 2500 fuel at #165 per litre, now calculate that amount for a month, That’s a total of #65,000 for 26 working days, Excluding Generator maintenance & servicing. These went on for several months till we were hit with fuel scarcity around March 2021 and then the billing sky rocket cause fuel was selling for 250 per litre.
Ah mogbe …
See ehn if you’re not strong and willing in this country you will just give up.
Cause what?
Nigeria makes entrepreneurship so difficult 😥
Am sure you can already imagine the spendings on just electricity per month.
The worst thing about the scarcity wasnt even the price increase, it was the fact that the filling stations around my vicinity wasn’t selling for gallons cause of people involved in black market business, so we had to pay more bribing them or we spend about 200 extra for T fare to another area to be able to buy fuel which was affecting our daily productions cause of time wasted in the filling stations.
A breath of fresh Air (deep sigh)
Then came the suppose goodnews oh my people.
Information reaching us was that the issue affecting the light has been fixed and light will be restored and we are to pay a token of 1000 each for connection… brother and sister of the most high thats how they gave us hope oh, payment was made in large numbers.
Happy and expectant oh
Thats how april, may and june came and gone we still didnt even see a blink of light… Another major heartbreak after the second chance is always the hardest (lol)
Nigeria steady serving breakfast
Anyways we moved …
Moving forward we’ve accepted our fate and it doesnt seem much of a bother to me anymore. I just make sure no matter the days expenditure I reserve 2500 for fuel for the next day (see enjoyment money oh)
Like every other day, we resumed work on Monday with an open mind, ready to make money 😄
I was on my way back from school runs when I decided to send my staff money for fuel. immediately i got a debit alert, i also received a call so I thought yea maybe she was trying ro acknowledged the transfer and i didn’t take the call at first till she called back, so I asked if she had bought fuel already and she gave me the best news I’ve heard in a while
Ma’am There’s Light oh
Ah light kwa
From where?
I dont understand oh,
She reiterated
Ma’am there’s light in the shop and no, I haven’t bought fuel
At that moment inside my car i shouted “UP NEPA” (lol)
I made sure everyone around me heard the goodnews too cause this is the work of the lord,
Exactly 1 whole year of black out,
1 whole year of constant fuel purchases,
1 year of spending approximately 750,000 naira on electricity, They decided to have mercy on us. We suppose even pop champagne 😂😂
The light has been stable for now, 6hours on and off.
Help me and shout Hallelujah
Praiseeeeeee the lord
Brethren
1 down and more to come as we are experiencing same issues at home, that one is past 2years already. Our hopes are higher now and we are also expecting a miracle soon.
My hivers
Whats the light situation in your own area?
Am sure you’ve had your own share of “UP NEPA” experience
Thanks for stopping by
Love, ❤️ MAIY
