Ogun Communities Experience Blackout

Residents across some Ogun communities, on Saturday, bemoaned the blackout recently experienced in the state, calling out the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to change the narratives.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some communities have been in darkness for about 10 days to two weeks running.

The respondents said they were less concerned about Thursday’s picketing by labour unions, which disrupted power supply in the coverage areas of the power-distributing company.

According to the residents, the disruption did not change anything, as they had been without power before and after it occurred.

NAN recalls business activities resumed shortly after the picketing as an anonymous official said the management had started negotiating and addressing the issues.

A resident of Ita Eko area, Mr Adekunle Adebiyi, noted that his area had been experiencing blackouts for more than 10 days, a situation, he said, could pose security threats.

Meanwhile, residents of Kemta Idi Aba said they only have power once in five days, a similar situation in Sokori, Omida, Ijeja, and Quarry areas of Abeokuta.

However, residents of Oke Ilewo claimed the situation was better at their end.

At Sango-Ota, there were virtually blackouts across its environs, such as Oju-Ore, Iyana-Iyesi, Atan, and Toll-Gate.

A frozen food seller at Oju-Ore, Mrs Funke Bello, whose business depended largely on steady electricity, said she had incurred extra costs finding alternative power sources to keep her business going.

Similarly, a welder at Sango-Ota, Mr Rasaq Raji, described the development as worrisome and painful.

According to him, he has many undone and unfinished jobs at hand, wondering what he would tell his customers.

“We have no choice but to find alternative energy sources to do our work, and we still have to generate some money to feed our families,” he said.

He, therefore, urged the Federal Government to intervene in whatever might be hindering IBEDC from discharging its duties effectively to the public.

(NAN)