Residents of Aiyepe community in Odogbolu local government area of Ogun state are lamenting the darkness they have been thrown into since last Thursday by Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company on account of debt
They said the action which witnessed the deloading of seven transformers in the community came at a period they were making spirited efforts to resolve the issue with the power company.
They also lamented that the development had caused untold hardship to owners of businesses and residents who had to spend huge sum of money on alternative energy since the disconnection.
Olaseni Kasumu,the Chairman of Aiyepe Community Development Association,told Premium News,that there was no notice from the power company before the community was disconnected.
He confirmed that over N50million have been lost by businesses as a result of persistent black out in the community.
“We just woke up and discovered most quarters are in blackout. I tried calling the Engineer incharge to no avail.I went to the IBEDC office in Ikenne when he refused picking my calls.I met with the Business manager,he told me they had a meeting and we’re directed to meet with the CDA Chairmen to brief them about the resolution of the meeting and ways the community can assist in retrieving the debts.
“He was however surprised to see that such drastic step was taken without prior notification.He had just left the meeting not quite long before I came to lodge a complain”
He claimed that the community has no knowledge of its debt,even as he said that a sawmill and the palace of a traditional ruler in the area are on prepaid meter but were still disconnected by the power company.
He added:”The sawmill is on prepaid meter billing but don’t have access to electricity because it was disconnected from the transformer.Kabiesi Obiri and some other indigenes are not owing IBEDC. They pay religiously but are suffering because they were disconnected from the transformer”
He told Premium News that the resident of Aiyepe are neither violent nor resisted moves to reconcile issues with the power company
He said there is no end in sight to the crisis as the IBEDC did not respond to the letter written to them by the Aiyepe community.
He said residents are not happy with the persistent black out and unsure of getting reconnected by the power company so soon.
He pleaded with IBEDC to consider establishing communication link with his community with a view to resolving the issue amicably and fostering mutual relationship between them.
A senior manager of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company,told Premium News that it was not true the community honours his company’s invite to resolve the debt crisis.
The resident of the community,he alleged,are violent and constantly harass the company’s officials.
He added:” The community has become too volatile. They consistently harass and flog our staff every time. They refuse honouring numerous meeting invitation. They are enjoying supply without readiness to pay. All efforts to engage them to reach a compromise was abortive. We don’t want want any community in darkness, so we are pleading with them to have a meeting with us for an amicable resolution”
