Residents of Ifako Ijaye Local Government yesterday took to the streets, protesting lack of power supply in their area and incessant crazy bills from officials of the Ikeja Electricity Company, Lagos State.
The protest started around 9am, with
protesters taking off from College Road, making a beeline to the Ikeja
Electricity Company, Alausa, Ikeja.
Some of the protesters said that it
had been four months since they had the ray of light in their areas, adding
that it was sheer madness for officials of the Ikeja Electricity Company to
keep bringing bills.
One of them fumed: “Aside from the
fact that the bring bills for power not supplied or used, the bills are on the
high side!”
The leader of the protest, Ojo
Olusegun said that the protest was not to create riot or trouble but rather, it
was just to let them know how bad the residents were feeling concerning the power
supply issue.
His words: “The Ifako Ijaye Community,
made up of 20 Community Development Areas, was removed from the Ikeja
Electricity Company to another location without our consent and even at that,
we were given outrageous bills. We always look rough and unkempt because there
was no power supply to iron our clothes. Even the fuel we used as alternative
can no longer be purchased because of its scarce and expensive.”
According to Olusegun, on several
occasions, they had written to the concern offices, but no responds had been
given to their complaints since November 2014. This was the major reason residents
decided to embark on the protest. They wanted the Ikeja Electricity Company to proffer
a lasting solution to the lingering power problem.
“We want the government to come to
our aid,” said Olusegun. “If after this protest, nothing was done to sort out
the the power issue on ground, then we would not pay any bills. Officials of Ikeja
Electricity Company should not bring any bill to us! Any attempt made to
disconnect power supply from our area, may lead to unpleasant situation.”
The Managing Director, Ikeja
Electricity Company, Mr. Abiodun Ajifowobaje, said Ikeja Electricity Company had
been doing its best to ensure that power supply was stable, adding that the present
crisis in the country and Lagos State in particular, made it look like Ikeja
Electricity Company officials were not working at all.
He added: “The usual voltage given
to the Ikeja Electricity Company, from the grid is 1000 watt, which is not even
enough to serve. It was later reduced by a 150watt, but even as at now, none had
been given yet. This is why we cannot give what we don’t have.”
He urged the protesters to be
patient while Ikeja Electricity Company attempts to see how the power supply issue
in the Ifako Ijaye area could be rectified.
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