Nigerian Flight Deck Travel and Business Reportage
RESIDENTS of over twenty communities made up of entire Shasha axis in Alimosho local government area of Lagos State have been thrown into darkness for over a month as youths of these communities are spoiling for war against their distributors Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company under Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
Some residents across the communities have reached out in anger, accusing PHCN officials at the Akowonjo Business Unit which is responsible for maintaining electrical issues in the area of deliberately making life difficulty for them because of lack of power supply to the entire area without any reason.
Besides the power outage, the community has equally been accused of criminally billing the community on estimated consumption.
While it has been acknowledged in many parts of Lagos that citizens now enjoy a relative regular supply of electricity, the community has been subjected to total darkness for over a month by the power officials under the excuse that they could not detect a fault that led to a spark on one of the cables at the Ejigbo station.
According to the residents, the PHCN officials rather than assign professionals among them to rectify the problem, they have been playing the hide seek game with the situation which has grossly affected businesses in the entire community.
Some residents have accused the power officials of deliberately denying the community the essential necessity as a result of their corrupt tendencies as they wait for such situations to begin to extort money from affected people.
Prior to the one month of the latest power outage, the entire community under the aegis of Shasha General Community Development Association had written several petitions to the Business Manager, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, Akowonjo Business Unit, Ponle, Lagos, complaining of incessant erratic power supply.
The latest of such letters entitled ‘Erratic Power Supply: A Menace To Our Community’, signed by Comrade Oniyide Paul, Alhaji M.A Iginla, Chairman and Secretary of the Electricity Committee in the area respectively, condemned the issue of epileptic power supply which they said was becoming endemic and intolerable.
“The entire community is presently experiencing ceaseless and perpetual darkness prolonging for months. This incessant power outage has been a growing concern among the inhabitants.”
The community in the petition has demanded for improved power supply, provision of meters and an immediate stop to the extortion of residents.
” It is expedient to note that tension is high in our community and so immediate response from you will go a long way in bringing relief.”
Among the communities affected by the power cut include:Abule Aketu, Oguntade, Aiyedade, Bammeke, Jaiye Oba, Orisumbare and also reaching as far as Igando and its environs.
