Anger, outrage as Ogun community protests IBEDC refusal to energize transformer after spending N11m, urges Gov Abiodun's intervention 

The residents of Ireakari community, Ilisan Remo, in Ikenne Local Government area of Ogun State on Saturday protested the refusal of the officials of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company to connect their transformer to national grid after spending over N11m for its installation.

The community members during the protest were armed with placards bearing messages such as "Ireakari community is tired of pitch darkness", "IBEDC connect light to our transformer", "Gov Dapo Abiodun call IBEDC to order" "IBEDC, give us light not crazy bill"

They explained that the erratic power supply to the community and sometimes total blackout has not only paralyzed the businesses in the community but has also impacted negatively on the security of the area leaving in its wake cases of armed robbery and other breach of security 

Speaking during the protest, the Secretary of the Ireakari Community Development Association, Mr Taiwo Idowu stated that "in the process of solving the poor power supply to the community, Hon Oladipupo Adebutu donated the transformer to the community in 2018"

"We invited the officials of IBEDC, they checked the transformer and certified that it is good for use so we began to raise money among ourselves for the installation. 

"We bought poles, cables and every other thing needed for the installation of the transformer. We have so far spent over N11m and when the installation had been done, we called on IBEDC to help with the connection of the transformer to the grid.

"We were however shocked when they said that the transformer was a refurbished one, we really could not understand because the IBEDC officials gave us the go ahead with the installation after conducting checks on the transformer and certifying that it is good 

"How could they now turn around and said that the transformer is a refurbished one and therefore they won't connect us to the grid? We have written several letters to them in Sagamu and Ibadan but nothing has been done.

"Our community for over eight years has been struggling with this erratic power challenge and after using our hard earned resources to solve this problem, the IBEDC is proving to be the stumbling block again. Our losses over the years due to lack of power is unquantifiable. 

"We are using this opportunity to beg Gov Dapo Abiodun and the Chairman of the Ikenne Local Government, Hon Jamiu Ashimi to come to our aid. This sufferings is too much. The government can provide us with another transformer or help us talk to IBEDC, we are really pleading for all the help to get out of this trouble".

The head of the community, Chief Adeyemo Sofola also lamented the long absence of power supply to the community saying that it has greatly affected the life of the residents as well as the socio-economic development of the area.

Chief Sofola begged Gov Abiodun and the Chairman of the local government, Alhaji Ashimi to either give the community another transformer or prevail on IBEDC to help with the connection of their transformer to the grid.

 Mrs Janet Oluwatoyin who also spoke with journalists during the protest also decried the attitude of the IBEDC offials for refusing to help with the connection of the community's transformer to the grid urging for Gov Abiodun's intervention without further delay.

Mrs Oluwatoyin said that "The truth is that the residents of this community who are over 3000 are not happy with this situation. The suffering is too much. 

"Our businesses have suffered, yet we looked for money, over N11m and after we are done with the installation, the IBEDC is saying something else. The residents are really angry and we call on our father in the state, Gov Abiodun to help us out. We can't stay in darkness forever".

The Chief Imam of Ilisan Remo who also reside in the community, Alhaji Aderemi, equally begged both Gov Abiodun and the Chairman of the local government, Hon Jamiu Ashimi who incidentally is an indigine of the community to please help to restore adequate power supply to the community.

He maintained that life is becoming unbearable for the residents while many businesses have nosedived as a result of the power challenge.

The Chairman of Ilisan Development Association, Otunba Wemmy Osude who came to address the community, lampooned the IBEDC officials for their seeming indifference to the unbearable plight of the residents of the community.

Osude expressed dissatisfaction with how the distribution company has mishandled the perennial power outage in the community saying that it has no doubt impacted negatively on the development of the community as well as its security.

He explained that "I therefore charge the IBEDC to act swiftly to the demand of this community, I urge the good government of Prince Dapo Abiodun and that of the Ikenne Local Government under Hon Jamiu Ashimi to come to the rescue of these people and wipe away their tears and frustration. 

"There can't be growth and socio-economic development where people have to live in darkness even after going out of their way to commit over N11m out of their hard earned resources to installing the transformer, yet the problem persists"

The Public Relations Officer of IBEDC, Ogun Region, Mr Yomi Bada however said that contrary to the claims of the community, the IBEDC was nevera contacted when the transformer was donated until after the contractor had done the installation and was about to energize it.

Mr Bada stated that "What I gathered from my findings with the people in charge was that the community never contacted IBEDC when the transformer was donated until the contractor finished with the installation was about to energize it.

"The technical crew went to check out the transformer and found out that it was a refurbished one, it is not the type of transformer that is even used in the country or that should be in our network and such transformer will never certified because it is substandard"

On the way forward, Mr Bada said he would get in touch with the Regional head of the power distribution company to see how the community could be assisted.