FOR the people of Igbokoda in Ilaje and Igbotako in Okitipupa Local Government Area, Ondo State, there doesn’t appear to be an end to how long they would be without power supply.
They have been in darkness for over two years, yet officials of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) have not been able to assure them when their problem would be solved.
Efforts have been made by the residents of these communities, particularly the youth, to ensure a solution is proffered to the problems, but all were to no avail.
It was gathered that the traditional ruler of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, had on several occasions invited the manager of PHCN office in the community to his palace on the matter yet the problem persists.
However, a source claimed the oil community has been cut off from the national grid.
In Igbotako, because of the poewer problem, business activities have been paralysed and this has forced some businessmen and women to relocate from the area.
The Youth leader of Igbokoda, Omotayo Lebi, described the development as an embarrassment, noting that the headquarters of an oil producing local government has been denied power supply for three years.
He also said the efforts made by the residents and the traditional ruler have proved abortive.
His words: “We were really excited about four weeks ago when they suddenly brought the light; the mood of the people changed that, at last, a solution has been found to this issue, but after three hours, they cut it and since then we have remained in darkness.
“We have met the officials of the PHCN; we have been living with their failed promises. We are tired; we only rely on generators without any hope of making use of government light. It is a shameful thing that Igbokoda which serves as the headquarters of Ilaje, an oil producing council, has been in darkness in the past three years.
“We are pleading with the government and officials of the PHCN to help us. Our business activities have been affected. The people only rely on generators which now made consumable goods expensive. It is only Okitipupa that enjoy a few hours of power supply. We do not know our offences. Why the government deliberately leave us in this condition?”
The Igbokoda Palace’s Secretary, Toyin Orimoloye, confirmed that the monarch has intervened on the matter, but did not any positive response from either the government or the PHCN workers.
Orimoloye asked whether the state government expected the people to generate power independently for the community.
“We have suffered; things are being sold at high prices. To get an ordinary cold water, you pay a high price because traders rely on generators. We have protested, begged, even held meetings with the PHCN officials, yet nothing came out of the efforts. We are tired; how can an oil producing community be denied such things?
“If the government is claiming that it has given amnesty to the Niger Delta militants and is also giving them training by sending them abroad, whereas their communities have been in darkness for some years, what is the essence of its amnesty?
‘’Amnesty should not be based solely on sending the repentant militants abroad, but their communities should also be developed because the essence of militancy was for the development of oil producing communities in Nigeria, which have been neglected by Federal Government and the oil companies.
“We are calling on the Federal Government not to waste its money on sending ex-militants on training abroad alone, but invest on the infrastructure of the communities. We are not happy, our investment are gradually destroying”
At Igbotako, a 70-year-old man, Pa. Isaac Akinwominu, blamed some indigenes of the community, who are occupying top positions, but failed to use their influence to solve the problem.
“What is the essence of parading these men in our community where we have been in darkness for the past two years. Some of them are serving senators, successful businessman who have the opportunities of seeing the President anytime they want.
“They have failed because we do not know their importance. I hope they are happy as the people are mocking them that a senator’s or a business mogul’s community has no light? By 2015, they will be on our neck to vote for them or their parties; we are waiting for them. Igbotako has successful sons and daughters. I believe one of them can settle the issue of electricity for his people once and for all.
“Though we know it is the function of the government to get this problem solved, as a patriotic sons and daughters, they should be able to do it since the government has turned a deaf ear on our plight. We all know that the government cannot do all, but as individuals, you can support the government on this and the people will praise you.”
The septuagenarian, however, urged the indigenes of the community to unite for the development of the community.
When our correspondent visited the PHCN state headquarters in Akure, the state capital, no staff member agreed to speak.
