Power Cuts Persist in Yaounde

Yaounde and its environs are yet to come to terms with persistent cuts in electricity supply which has hit the city. In fact, in some neigbourhoods, electricity supply is increasingly becoming a luxury as lights come and go at will. In the midst of this, inhabitants have only one option; murmur in obscurity and stomach the socio-economic inconveniences that come with the epileptic power supply.

After last week's difficulties which the country's electricity supplier, AES Sonel, blamed on a breakdown of a transformer at Ngousso and continual works which deprived many localities of lights on Sunday January 26, hope for consistent power supply hit the rocks Monday January 27. "In Nkolbisson, we didn't have lights the whole of Monday. You can imagine what we went through especially with food stocked in refrigerators," Angel B., a Nkolbisson-based citizen said. Corroborating Angel, another dweller said, "It would be idiocy to say electricity supply problems are solved in Yaounde. One never knows when it goes and comes because most often it is unannounced."

The same situation was witnessed at the Etoug-ebe, Mvolye, Tam-Tam Weekend and Obili neigbourhoods among others. The peculiarity about it is that while some neigbourhoods beamed with lights, others were in total darkness. This forces analysts to conjecture rationing given that Yaounde, like other areas in the country, is in the heart of the dry season.

Meanwhile, information on AES Sonel website just indicates that, "electricity services are momentarily disturbed in so many localities in the country. The return to normalcy will be progressive." There are no further specifications but for the fact that the users are cautioned to disconnect sensitive electrical appliances.