Ibadan Electricity In Tango With Community Over Self-help Transformer

Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) is in tango with residents of Ireakari community in Ilisan Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The cause of the rift is failure on the part of the company to connect their self-help transformer to the national grid and deliver them from darkness.

The residents had made huge sacrifices contributing N11million installing the transformer, and could not understand whey they should still remain in darkness.

They therefore mobilized and took to the streets in the earlier hours of the day, urging  Ibadan Electricity to please connect them.

Narrating their ordeal through the Secretary of the Ireakari Community Development Association, Mr. Taiwo Idowu, they stated:

“In the process of solving the poor power supply challenge in our community, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu donated a transformer to us in 2018.

“We invited officials of IBEDC to inspect it. They checked and certified it fit for use, so we began raising funds among ourselves for the installation.

“We bought poles, cables, and every other item required. We have spent over N11m, and when the installation was completed in June, we contacted IBEDC to connect the transformer to the grid.

“However, to our shock, they said the transformer was refurbished. We couldn’t understand because they had earlier inspected and approved it for installation.

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“How can they now claim it’s refurbished and refuse to connect it? We’ve written several letters to their offices in Sagamu and Ibadan, but nothing has been done.

“Our community has suffered erratic power supply for over eight years. After using our hard-earned money to solve the problem, IBEDC has again become a stumbling block. Our losses over the years are unquantifiable.

“We are appealing to Governor Dapo Abiodun and the Chairman of Ikenne Local Government, Hon. Jamiu Ashimi, to come to our aid. This suffering is too much. The government can either provide us another transformer or prevail on IBEDC to connect the one we have.”