Folorunsho Medinat Olajumoke writes,
The Ilorin residents, the Kwara state capital, have berated the Kwara region of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), over poor electricity power supply in major communities in Ilorin which include Kankatu, Itadu, Dada, Alagbado, and other communities in Ilorin.
The residents of these communities have recounted losses resulting in unstable power supply in the area.
A famous welder in the Dada community who simply introduced himself as AbdulKabeer has been living a miserable life since he got independence from his boss in welding work due to the poor electricity power supply confronting the community.
He disclosed that he depends on electricity power supply to work, noting that he is not financially buoyant to afford the engine he can be using without power supply.
“It is very tough for me to feed my family and my co-workers in this job have abandoned the work to start riding motorcycles to earn a living due to poor power supply.
“Our chairman has gone to (IBEDC) office in Kwara several times to complain about the cause of this unstable power supply but there is no tangible reason we can hold at hand as the cause of unstable electricity,” he disclosed.
PEN PRESS findings revealed that some youths in the Dada area protested in August 2021 and the protest was based on the poor power supply in Dada, with their tag "NO LIGHT, NO PAYMENT."
More residents narrated ordeals over unstable electricity
Fatimah Magaji asserted that she is in charge of the borehole that the former Senator, Dr. Bukola Saraki facilitated to the community, noting that only electricity can be used to pump water inside the tank.
“The water project collapsed due to fake equipment used by the contractor and it made the borehole not work with a generator but used to work through electricity power supply. If there is no light, people used to suffer before getting water to use for their house chores.
Balqees Olowolagba, the Chairperson for Fish Seller, Dada axis, noted that she raised her children in the fish business but things have turned upside down due to the recurrent poor power supply experienced in the community.
She added that the blackout in the community had made her go bankrupt due to the lack of power supply that her business needed.
“There was a day I disposed off a fish that was worth N5000 and the owner of the money didn't care about the loss and I had to refund the money. I tried my best to contact IBEDC in Kwara and the government to help us in our area but nothing has changed,” she bemoaned.
Abu Anas, a resident running a charging shop in the Dada community disclosed that the unstable power supply in his community motivated him to open a shop to allow people to charge their phones with a token.
Shazily Akanji, a resident of one of the affected communities bemoaned over the poor electricity supply in the area, adding that he has a weak phone battery and the phone is what his customers use to get in touch with him.
“At times, I always used my last cash to charge my phone. I urge the government and (IBEDC) to help us solve this problem, "Akanji pleaded.
Kwara IBEDC Reacts
Mallam Mustapha, the chairman of IBEDC, Okelele branch urged the residents to be patient, stating that they are working tirelessly to find a lasting solution to the problem.
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