IKEDC’s total darkness at Alimosho

For some time now, the residents of Owokoniran, Fatai Fayemi, Koleade, Shobukola and Sharafa streets of Idimu Area of Egbe-Idimu LCDA, (of Alimsoho Local Government) Lagos State have on several occasions requested prepaid meters from the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company. This demand is quite expedient and necessary as many of the meters are old, outdated and non- functional.

Consequently, the monthly electricity bills being presented by the IKEDC are mere guesstimates. As for the electricity supply, for at least five years now, the area has been on power rationing – three days on, one day off. The infuriating part of it is that even on days a street is supposed to have electricity, power may be non-existent. Yet, at the end of the month, the bills unfailingly arrive. And it is pay up, or risk being disconnected. Pay for what was not consumed!

In September 2017, the aforementioned streets were thrown into darkness for over three weeks, making businesses and social activities suffer severely. Despite the absence of electricity during that period, heartless bills were distributed, which were unanimously turned down by the entire community. A petition was written explaining that electricity was not consumed for the period in question, but residents were only deceitfully assured that the issue of metering and outrageous billing would be resolved. Interestingly, representatives of IE did not address the issue.

In what proved to be a flagrant show of shame, the next month, specifically in October, 2017, the IE officials decided to remove the high tension cable for these five streets. As of the time of writing (November 13, 2017), the residents are still in darkness and the entire community is in a total lockdown power-wise.

With this, the residents are calling for, one, restoration of electric power supply to the area; second, an end to outlandish estimated bills and finally, the installation of prepaid meters to their residences.

Olusanya Anjorin,

Alimosho, Lagos State,