By Daud Olatunji

WHILE some people complain of erratic  power supply  and  outrageous bills by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria PHCN, the situation is different in some villages and towns under the Yewa North Local Government  Area of Ogun state. No fewer than 53 villages in the densely populated rural community  were  cut off from the national grid.

Vanguard Metro learnt that residents of the affected villages have never  enjoyed one minute of power supply.  It  was also learnt that  every attempt made in the past  to restore light to the area was  scuttled by dare- devil robbers, who  either robbed the personnel or took away the materials. A visit to some of the villages by Vanguard Metro, showed that, the residents  have been abandoned  for long  by their representatives at both the state and national levels.

The  affected  towns and villages in Yewa North Local Government include; Alagbada, Fayoyi, Ajegunle, Eripa I, Eripa II, Abule Baba Lana, Okoyabugiri, Abule Alata, Pakoyi, Lasilo, Oloje, Idiroko, Kajola, Kajola-Alaga, Ijege, Agbo-Ogede, Oke Igbala, Ikotun, Ologiri, Egbeda and Agbon Ojodu. A recent visit to Ologiri village  during the flag-off  of  rural electrification  projects in the communities by the World Bank,  clearly established that these rural dwellers had lived in darkness all along.

They cannot boast of electricity, water and other basic facilities that make life worth living. The cheering news however, is that the World Bank has marked these villages for rural electrification, an indication that they will soon start to enjoy power supply. The multi-million Naira project, which is expected to be completed in June this year, was awarded to Kotco Engineering Nigeria Ltd.

PHCN power station

Speaking during the handing-over of the project sites to the contractor in Ologiri village,  the Project Manager, Project Management Unit  of PHCN said, the project was being implemented under the World Bank-Assisted Rural Electrification of three states, including Cross River, Enugu and Ogun states. Onyeneke said, the project was exclusive to the World Bank, stressing that no counterpart funding emanated from the state government.

He, however, explained that the electrification of the Yewa North communities would have been completed but for the failure of the first contractor who handled the project.

Findings  however showed that, the first contractor failed ,following the incessant robbery attacks that took place in the area, leading to the loss of the materials.

Explaining why  the first attempt  to lighten-up the villages failed, Onyeneke said “the contractor who first got the contract could not handle its execution. Later, the World Bank re-awarded the project and after the bidding process, Kotco Engineering won the contract,” he said.

Also speaking, the Kotco Project Manager, Engr. Olusegun Kajubo, said the electrification project would enhance the socio-economic situation of the communities by creating various employment opportunities for the youths and other rural dwellers.

He therefore, solicited the cooperation of people of the communities, especially in the provision of adequate security for personnel, equipment and materials needed for the project execution.

Kajubo observed that insecurity and theft of project materials were capable of disrupting timely completion of the electrification.

Responding on behalf of the communities, the chairman, Yewa North Local Government Community Development Association (CDA), Alhaji Dara Adekunle, expressed appreciation to the World Bank for embarking on a development-oriented project in the area.

Adekunle, who stated that the local government had the largest pool of villages without power supply, pledged the readiness of people of the communities to provide security for staff and equipment of the contractor.

However, a cross section of people that spoke with VM, threatened to use everything they have to ensure the project is completed on time. They vowed to  unleash  their gods on anybody that attempts  to disrupt  the work either through robbery or extortion.

According to  Monday Awodeji from Abule Alata,  we are ready to protect the workers and the materials , because we don’t want to remain in darkness, we want to enjoy light like other people enjoy.

To  Mrs Mufuliatu  Alade  from Ologiri village, the gesture would boost economy in the area, and would reduce rural-urban drift, which according to her has almost crippled the economy in those areas.