Lagos residents protest four months blackout

• EKEDC will never ask anyone for money, says Lasaki

Residents of Olushoga, Adesile, Bamgboye, Olawoyin and Olarenwaju Streets in Mushin Local Council of Lagos State have protested four months of blackout in the area.

The residents said they have been in total darkness since July and their complaints have not been treated fairly by Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), they complained.

The community claimed that they have been experiencing epileptic power supply for three years because of the continuous breakdown of the transformer servicing them.

They alleged that even after each house was recently asked to pay N10, 000 to buy new cables, there was no improvement.

Speaking during the protest, a resident, Kareem Robiu said: “A day before Ileya (Id el Kabir celebration), the transformer exploded and we have complained ever since for it to be fixed, but nothing has happened. We have been to the EKEDC office seven times, but they told us that they can’t do anything and that there is no transformer to replace the damaged one.”

Another protester, Olalekan Oshoba, said: “ We complained and took our protest to EKEDC office in Isolo along Oshodi- Apapa Expressway two months ago, but nothing came out of it. They collected money from us several times and we bought cables for them.

“They want us to pay again for a new transformer. We have complained to our representatives several times about the power and have been neglected.

“Our businesses are down; they still bring bills to apartments without prepaid metres. They must come to our rescue now.”

On his part, a cleric, Gbenga Adejuwon, said: “There was a time they asked us to pay for cables and each household paid N10, 000 and thereafter, they warned us not to tell anyone that we used our money to buy the cables, we spent our money and yet they still bring bills asking us to pay for power supply, so, this injustice has gone on for too long. We are paying for what we are not using.

“They should have mercy on us and stop punishing us. We will send them away during the election if they fail to restore power in the area.”

Contacted, Head of Brand Management and Corporate Communications for EKEDC, Babatunde Lasaki, said the Disco will never ask any customer to pay for cable and transformer.

Lasaki, said: “Firstly, let me debunk the saying that EKEDC asks anybody to contribute money either for cables or transformer. EKEDC does not request money from customers to repair or put up any infrastructure in our entire franchise network.

“Secondly, if any community has an outage, there is a process to it. Let me say that transformer is not something we bought and kept somewhere, there is a process and we currently have a lot of requests for transformer so, it’s first come, first serve. “I am not aware that this community has been in total blackout for four months because I have not heard any report from the area. The residents should contact us through our channels to escalate their complaints.

“Customers should not pay any money to our staff, if they want to buy something, they should go to the bank. We don’t take cash, it’s against our policy. Anyone who does that is acting contrary to the laid down corporate policy of the organisation.”