The Ireakari-Olorunfunmi Estate Community Development Association, Idimu, Lagos State, has cried out over neglect and insensitivity by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria. The association said for close to one year, all entreaties to the PHCN, Idimu Business Unit, to change the community’s transformer panel and ‘upriser’ cable had fallen on deaf ears.
It said on many occasions, officials of the PHCN had been giving them empty promises.It was learnt that as a result of that, the faulty equipment had been left unattended to, exposing the residents to electrocution. The association wondered why the community should be treated as such more so when the residents had been paying their electricity bills as and when due.
A resident of Lasisi Ladegave Street, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said because of the faulty equipment, the voltage of power coming to the community was usually low. He said many times power had tripped off, leaving them in darkness for days and also exposing the lives of residents to danger.
He said since the beginning of 2012 when the residents identified the problems, their association had made a lot of representations to the PHCN at Ikotun Undertaking and its Business Office at Oke-Afa, Isolo. He said though officials had not asked them directly to pay money, their dance steps indicated that they needed such before they could do anything.
Secretary of the CDA, Mr. Clement Ogundipe, said for quite a long time, the community had been without transformer until his office, Lagos State Ministry of Rural Development, gave one to the community. Ogundipe said when the transformer was brought to the community, PHCN officers were reluctant to install it.
He said, “Because the PHCN officials were reluctant to install the transformer for us, the contractor the community hired, allegedly used substandard cable and panel for us. “After the installation, PHCN officials came and condemned what the contractor had done. Since that time, we have been asking them to replace the panel and the cable but they refused.”
Ogundipe called on the relevant authorities to prevail on PHCN officials at Ikotun Undertaking to fix the cables and panel for the residents. In his response, Deputy Business Manager, Ikotun Undertaking, Mr. Gbenga Acha, asked the community to report to the Business Manager.
He said from investigation, the project was politically-motivated and it was not initiated by the PHCN.“Since we have inherited it, I promise you that we will solve the problem. Let them come and see the Business Manager. The problem will be fixed,” he said.
Punch Nigeria
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