Lifestyle

‘We Bought Transformers Ourselves, But Can’t Still Have Light’

Published

2 years ago

August 6, 2022

Cami Ezenwa

BY UTHMAN ORIYOMI

Residents of the 33 communities in Ntabo inside Ijoko area of Ogun State are in double agony.

Despite purchasing transformers through community efforts to light their neigbourhoods since Power Holding Company (PHCN) had abdicated its responsibility, they still can’t’ have light.

They have therefore cried out about the situation, asking the relevant authorities to do something.

The Eagle correspondent who visited the area spoke to a number of residents who expressed deep frustration over the light issue.

We Bought Transformers Ourselves, But Can’t Still Have Light’

One of them, Comrade Oyeniyi Azeez told our Correspondent that they had become tired PHCN in Ijoko.

“All of us on the 33 KVA are doing everything ourselves to the extent of buying transformer.

“We bought electric poles, we bought wire and cables; even we are the ones constructing road and bridges for us to get into our various houses.

“There is no impact of the State government in proving us social amenities”.

He recalled that, though there was news that the government had entered agreement with other stakeholders for the running of the power supply, thereby raising the hopes of the residents, but that things had not improved.

We Bought Transformers Ourselves, But Can’t Still Have Light’

“About four years ago, they used to give us light but it is per hour or let say 30min in three months and then bring crazy bills as at month end.

“The bills used to vary, sometimes N4000 and sometimes, up to N7000 for the light we were not seeing. Who is fooling who?”, he queried

Residents said though PHCN had been promising improved electricity supply, that we will enjoy it over 3years now because the light was connected from Papa, TNC, Abekoko and other different areas that are not related.

Moreover, IBDCE said they will bring it from Itele directly for us to be having light 24/7,we never see anything since last year.

“From last November till now, they have not connected it and we are hearing that they have given our light to another community.

We Bought Transformers Ourselves, But Can’t Still Have Light’

“Whether it has been privatized sold or not, is not our concern, what matters to us is that they should not bring bills to us again”.

He said PHCN had also been sending monthly bills to some landlords’ phones, alleging that the company was doing so, to avert the residents revolting.

He said the residents were told that prepaid was available but that each house needing it must pay #80,000 to get it.

Mr Akeem Adele added that, entrepreneurs in the area were groaning everday because of non-availability of electricity to power their machines.

They therefore urged the Ogun State government to come to their aid, and that without electricity, they would find it difficult to support their lives.

We Bought Transformers Ourselves, But Can’t Still Have Light’

Also speaking to The Eagle, a landlord, Mr Okunola Micheal, said they had gone to the PHCN office in Owode where they were promised that they would be put on another line, but that up till the moment, the promise had not been retrieved.

“We also went to PHCN office in Abeokuta and IBDC office in Ibadan to lodge complaint, and they said we should follow the right step and promised to resolve it the following month, but getting up to 7 months now and they bring #4,000 bill plus Value Added Tax (VAT) as at month end.”

“We for them to proffer solution to the problem on ground, they should put us on Ntabo line because Ntabo and Baale communities are enjoying light.

We had several meetings with a woman in their Office in Owode, she said sooner or later it would be rectified, since then, there had not been any changes.

Our people are threatening everyday that they would go and connect to another line or to other communities using 11KVA”.

He lamented that many people were packing out of the Ijoko neigbourhood, because of the issue of lack of electricity issue.

Baba Oyo a landlord of Adeyemo street observed that though he was using only 3 points compare to those people using 10 points, they usually brought the same N4000 naira bill.