Ibadan residents protest erratic power supply

Hundreds of aggrieved residents of Apete, Ajibode, Awotan, Araromi, Arola and other communities in Ido Local Government Area of Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday, took the streets in a peaceful protest to express their displeasure at what they termed “erratic supply of electricity” in their various communities.

The protesters said that they were not happy with the long hours of darkness caused by poor electricity supply and the outrageous bilsl the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) charged them nonetheless.

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Some of the representatives of the communities including Awotan, Adaba, Alakuta, Oloya Ajibode, Fanawole, Ariyibi Alapata, Akere, Yidi, Papa Olorunsogo, Araromi, Adeosun, Akufo, Waja, Jeje, Onigbodogi, Aiyegun Osaji and Idi Oro among others, were part of the protest, which culminated at Awotan junction.

The protesters, who were armed with placards bearing different inscriptions, which expressed their thoughts on the irregular supply of power to their areas, accused the management of IBEDC of crippling their businesses and subjecting them to attacks by hoodlums, particularly in the night.

Speaking to journalists, President of Awotan Community Landlord Association, Engineer Rasaq Fabayo, said that it is sad that over 50 communities have been subjected to long hours of darkness by the IBEDC.

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He said, “They don’t give us light in the day and at night when they give us, it is just 2 hours at times less than 30 minutes and at the end of the month, they bring crazy bill.

“Because of this most of the artisans especially those who cannot afford to buy generators have moved out of the community, the impact on the economic situation is negative because of the electricity situation.

“We have written several letters to the management of the IBEDC, and National Electricity Regulatory Company NERC, they are yet to reply us, this protest is a kind of warning protest to sensitize them on the plight of the residents of communities in Apete.

“The feeder that supplied the area is not enough and the only solution to the problem is to get more feeders that will be enough to serve the transformers in Apete”.

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Also another resident, Mr. Umar Abiodun, while speaking, said, “We have been on this for many years and instead of engaging in continuous war that yields no positive results, the IBEDC should stop their operations in Apete and its environs, let them stop their supplies and stop generation of money from these areas, we don’t want to fight them, they should stop cheating us.”

In his reaction, the IBEDC Regional Communication Manager, Oyo Region, Mr. Frank Williams, said that the affected communities should select few representatives to meet the firm management in order to resolve the issues.

Williams said, “There is no need for them to protest. They should select six of their leaders. We are going to look into that, but, I must tell you that instead of protesting, they should send a delegation to meet the management. Let them seat down with the management and find a way around the whole thing. Power supply is a big issue.”

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