by Usman Alabi
Social services and amenities in the border towns of Lagos and Ogun are controversial and problematic in one way or the other. This is most times due to the contest between both states on issues as to taxation, where exactly does these people belong, where are they supposed to pay their tax and so on.
Electricity is one of the social services that plague this communities, the number of years of blackout differs from one place to another in these areas and for those that are connected to the grid, constancy and quality of power supply is nothing to write home about. Although some of the residents also point to some foul play on the path of some business owners in the area who benefits from the situation.
But as for these communities, the story has recently changed, as virtually all of them have recently been connected to the power grid after several years of darkness, for some, several months of darkness.
These communities are in Magboro, Ibafo, and Mowe in Ogun State. The situation before it was settled has forced many to relocate to other places, ofcourse there is also no doubt that business activities have been hampered by the blackout.
Punch newspaper gathered that over 50 areas in the communities had received power supply following connection to the grid. The community leader, Mr. Jimi Olusanya who spoke with the news paper stated that communities such as Ofada and Oke-Afa, Asese had been starved of power supply for the past 10 years.
“The communities have been connected to the old line that is coming from Mowe. By mid-January, the one they promised us, the new line from Abeokuta or Oke-Aro will be connected to that, and all of us will have better electricity supply. Areas where there is no supply are mostly those where their transformers have been vandalized.
“The power firm fulfilled the Christmas period deadline they promised the communities. Some people have packed out of the communities because of lack of electricity. I know some of them will be moving back to their houses. Some of them went to rented apartments in Lagos”
One of the residents of the area who spoke to YMonitor, Mr Peter also confirmed the development,he said “For us in Lotto we had not had light since easter, they just restore it in December, most of those areas that had not had light for ten years are in the Magboro. In fact some of them I heard that they are against the restoration of electricity, especially the Petro station, because they are making money from it”
How best do you think this kind of situation can be resolved, are there still communities that are going through this kind of situation?
Let us have your take on this.