…Over alleged extortion by electricity provider

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

Some residents of Oshodi Local Government Area last week, stormed the office of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, IKEDC, Mafoluku, Oshodi to protest alleged extortion by IKEDC officials and incessant blackout in the area. The protest which lasted several hours paralysed activities in the council area.
The aggrieved residents who stormed the office of the electricity provider in the early hours of the day,  barricaded the road leading to the IKEDC office and its entrance.

The protesters  who carried placards with different inscriptions, condemned the action of the IKEDC. Some of the placards read: “Electricity is our right; We are tired of perpetual darkness, We need power supply to do our business, IKEDC; you have crippled our income with your blackout policy, We say no to crazy bills, give us our prepaid meter”.

Vanguard Metro gathered that areas worst hit by the blackout which started in September last year include Branco, Ariori and Baderin Streets. Others are streets in the Ariori/Ijaiye Community Development Area, CDA.
The residents alleged that the blackout started four months ago when they declined the demand from the IKEDC Mafoluku Service Centre to provide the required fund to repair the armored cable supplying Ariori Street; which IKEDC estimated at N552, 400.

They further alleged that the engineer incharge of IKEDC Mafoluku Service Centre  instead of making  requisition to  the appropriate authorities to effect the repair, was waiting for the residents to provide the required fund.
The protesters claimed that before this development, they had contributed at different times to repair or replace damaged IKEDC installations like concrete poles, aluminum conductors and unit hangers..

A spokesman for the angry residents, Mr. John Ezenku said,  “In August 2013, one of the transformers in the CDA was vandalised. Rather than repair it, the engineer in charge of IKEDC Mafoluku Service Centre forwarded the require cost to the CDA. The CDA repaired it after collecting N3,100 from each house.”
Continuing, he said: “We have done our best to support IKEDC to ensure that we enjoy electricity like any other community in Lagos. Yet, we are still having blackout”.

Another resident, Mrs. Sifawu Ayinla also voiced out her grievances. “During these periods of blackout, IKEDC was still bringing outrageous bills to us. Rather than read the meter, their officials issue estimated bills. Houses were billed between N10, 000 and N50, 000 monthly,” she alleged.

Also decrying the activities of the electricity provider, another resident, Mrs. Tope Daramola said, “As if we knew that this is what they wanted to do, we all requested for prepaid meters. We have paid N5,000 for the forms since last year, but  are yet to get the meters. When we approached the officials, they said Mafoluku is not among the areas that will have prepaid meters”.

Mr. Adisa Bashir who was one of the aggrieved residents described the actions of the electricity providers as robbery. “We are tired of this extortion,” he charged.
Mr. Ben Millers listed the demands of the residents.“IKEDC should henceforth take full responsibility of its installations. We don’t want estimated bills. They should desist from distributing bills until power supply in our area is guaranteed”.

IKEDC’s response
Responding to the allegations, the Information Officer of IKEDC, Mr. Olushola Ayeni said  they have not suspended the distribution of meters in the area.  “We haven’t suspended the distribution of meters. We want to ensure that there are  no flaws in the issuance of prepaid meter. We have a robust agenda for residents of Lagos. A new Korea company has been commissioned to access the level of meters in the state. At the end of the exercise, residents of Lagos will smile. I can assure you that everyone will get a meter,”he said.

On money paid to repair installed IKEDC equipments, Ayeni said, “We have been sensitising residents not to give their money to any IKEDC official to repair any damaged installation. Rather, they should report to the necessary office.”
On crazy bills, the Information Officer said, “When any customer feels that he or she is billed outrageously, he should see the business manager anytime and complain to him. We are operating an open door policy.