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Joy Umukoro
Residents of Olodi Apapa in Lagos are angry. They want the management of Eko Electricity Distribution Company to supply prepaid meters to the residents and stop the fraudulent practice of estimated billing.
Hundreds of residents living on Kukoyi, Akogun, Kudaisi, Ibafon, Oboh, Nise, Jejelaiye, Odofin, Palace Road, and Umuze streets recently held a peaceful rally against the firm in Ajegunle.
The community also despatched a petition dated February 5 to the electricity firm over the challenges being faced by the community. The residents claimed that they had spent over N2 million maintaining EKEDC facilities in the community.
They noted that: “In February 2016, the repair of Jejelaiye transformer cost N500,000; Kukoyi transformer in November/December 2018 was repaired with N500,000; Sufianu transformer in November/December 2017, N600,000, and over N350,000 spent on feeder units for Jejelaiye transformer between 2014 and 2017, among others,” the petition stated,
Chairman of Kukoyi Street Association, Reverend Enoch Ilemobayo, said the community had suffered severe hardship by paying for darkness.
He said: “They don’t want to give us prepaid meters because they are making money from our community. As we speak, all their marketers in Olodi Apapa community are now living large at our expense through dubious and outrageous billing. We have talked with them but they want to be using us to be making money. Now the community has resolved that we don’t want to see them in our street. If we see them, the action they will see will be more than what they saw today. We can’t be paying for darkness. We were still discussing how they would bring down the bill, and they went and disconnected us. They put us in darkness thinking that darkness would force us to bring our money out.”
He charged the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, to prevail on EKEDC to be more responsible.
Another community leader, Mr. Anselm, a lawyer, said the protest became imperative as a result of the unending estimated bills churned out by EKEDC. His words: “We are about nine streets involved in this crusade and we have been in darkness for a very long time. Recently, EKEDC started giving us light between the unholy hours of 1am and 4am. Then they came out with bills that are so impossible. They tell us they have a target. My own bill is N13,000 a month.
“We have approached them personally and we have written several petitions. That is why we’re protesting today.”
A businesswoman, Mrs. Justina Madubuike, who resides on Akogun Street, was equally angry with EKEDC. “They come here with armed policemen. They take all our monthly salaries while the police officers will be threatening to shoot. We reported the case at the Trinity Police Station, but we were told that those officers were not from that station.
“In the past three weeks, we have not had light. But that won’t force us to pay those ungodly bills. Nobody will be paying for services not rendered. If they serve us well, we will pay them. You earn respect; you don’t buy it,” she said.
Another resident, Mrs. Rosemary Iwunze, said electricity supply had been very bad in the area. Her words: “In my own compound, the bill they brought last December was N23,000. For the other meter, they charged N20,000.
“They would bring the light by 12 midnight and take it by 2am. My friend and I had gone to the EKEDC office in Apapa to complain about the marketer. But nothing has been done. The marketers usually demand that if we want our bills to be less outrageous, we should bribe them. They always demand bribe. But nothing is being done about them. It is sad.”
Mr. Austin Nduba, an engineer, said EKEDC had been quite unfair to residents of the area.
“Those of us along Palace Road have made several attempts to see those in charge. Each time we go, they would ask us to come back at a later date. And nothing is ever done. We have always repaired their facilities whenever they are damaged. We have receipts.
“Whenever there is a problem and we come to their office, they always say they can’t fix it. We contribute money to fix it. Yet they give us these crazy bills. We have gone to Marina and Apapa offices. We have no factory, but they bring us monthly bills of N18,000, N19,000.
“Last year, Mr. Fashola said we would have prepaid meters. Now, some areas have been given but we are still waiting. The EKEDC officials know what they are doing.
“Let them come and take assessment and give us our prepaid meters, so that we pay what we can afford. They have disconnected us. We want them to know that we are not expecting any bill this month. And if they bring us any estimated bills, we will not pay.”
Attempts to speak with officials of Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Ajegunle Zone proved abortive, as all those approached by the reporter declined comments.
