Residents and community leaders in Ayetoro Community in Oto Awori Local Council of Lagos State have protested four months of blackout in the area.
The residents said they have been in total darkness since January following the removal of their fuse from the transformer by officials of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) after they complained of epileptic power supply and high estimated bills.
The community claimed that they have been experiencing epileptic power supply for years. Still, the situation got worse the first week of January 2024 as officials of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) came to their community and removed the fuse in the transformer, throwing the entire community into darkness. Subsequently, all efforts by the community to get the power supply restored have been unfruitful.
Speaking during the protest, a community leader, Chief Ganiyu Kolawole said: “They have been giving us estimated bills for years. Some houses get as much as N80,000, N100, 000 for a house in a month when the power supply is epileptic. When the outrageous bill continued we complained to the EKEDC about the development but they didn’t rectify the issue.
“The situation got worse in late December 2023 till the first week of January 2024 when officials of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) removed the fuse from the transformer. For four months residents have been living in total darkness.”
“Our crime was simply because we complained of outrageous estimated bills they were giving us and officials of EKEDC removed the fuse”.
Explaining further, Ganiyu said: “The situation has affected our community terribly. Small and medium businesses that depend on power supply to function are closing down. We have written several letters to EKEDC head office in Marina yet nothing”
Also, speaking at the protest, the youth chairman of the community, Comrade Akoni Abdulazeez said that power supply situation is affecting schoolchildren in the community, as they are finding it difficult to read at night. “Many of their parents can’t afford alternative power, especially with the high fuel cost. Since January 17th when they removed the fuse, businesses are collapsing; people are parking out of the community. The community has become a shadow of itself. We can’t sleep with our two eyes closed because wherever there is a lack of power supply there is insecurity. We are, therefore, appealing to the Lagos state government especially the governor Babajide Sanwolu to come to our aid, we are calling on Managing Director EKEDC Marina headquarters to restore our light, the suffering is too much.”
Lamenting bitterly to a resident Mrs Olagbehinde Jumia said “I am a businesswoman in the Ayetoro community, I run a frozen food outlet, the lack of power supply in the community has affected my business terribly. We are tired of darkness. In my building, we have four flats each with four prepaid meters, yet houses like ours that have prepaid meters were not considered in their decision. For how long should residents in the community continue to stay in darkness”?
Chief Hassan, the Olori-ebi in Ayetoro community said the issue has been affecting a lot of people’s businesses badly. “Our wife can’t cook and preserve in the refrigerator anymore. The heat is too much, and couples can’t enjoy themselves. We have been staying in darkness all these months and EKEDC is not doing anything to rectify the situation. That is why we have decided to come out and protest about this light issue. We are protesting because of the too-high estimated bill and epileptic power supply. Enough is enough; we can’t continue to pay for darkness.”
