By: Bayero Ade
Residents of several communities in Ogun State have expressed frustration over the prolonged power outages in the state, calling on the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to urgently address the situation.
According to NAN, For the past 10 days to two weeks, many areas have been plunged into darkness, severely affecting daily life and businesses. Despite last Thursday’s picketing of IBEDC offices by labour unions—an action that disrupted electricity supply across various coverage areas—residents noted that their situation remained unchanged, as they had been without power even before the protest.
Although power supply was restored in some locations after the protest, an IBEDC official, who spoke anonymously, confirmed that negotiations were ongoing to resolve the underlying issues.
In Ita Eko, a resident, Adekunle Adebiyi, lamented that the prolonged blackout could lead to security risks in the area. Similarly, residents of Kemta Idi Aba, Sokori, Omida, Ijeja, and Quarry in Abeokuta complained that they only receive power once in five days. However, those in Oke Ilewo acknowledged a slightly better supply.
The situation is even more critical in Sango-Ota, where areas such as Oju-Ore, Iyana-Iyesi, Atan, and Toll-Gate have experienced near-total blackouts.
Business owners are bearing the brunt of the power crisis. Funke Bello, a frozen food vendor in Oju-Ore, said she had been forced to spend extra money on alternative power sources to keep her goods from spoiling. Likewise, a welder in Sango-Ota, Rasaq Raji, described the situation as frustrating, saying he had several unfinished jobs due to the lack of electricity.
“We have no choice but to rely on generators, which means additional expenses. Yet, we still have to make ends meet and feed our families,” he lamented.
Residents are now appealing to the Federal Government to intervene and address whatever challenges are preventing IBEDC from delivering efficient power supply.
Leave a Reply