The Nation Newspaper

Tag: residents

  • Residents protest high energy bills

    Residents of Olorunda in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital, yesterday protested what they called “crazy, unacceptable and outrageous electricity bills” from Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).

    The protesters marched round the neighbourhood and converged on the health centre where community leaders addressed them.

    It was the second time in a month residents were protesting on the issue.

    They urged BEDC to supply prepaid meters, warning officials not to collect money from them again.

    President of Olorunda Pastor Gbenga Ilesanmi said residents spent about N21 million to provide a transformer, electric poles, wires and workmanship for “electricity in our community, with BEDC not providing anything”.

    Ilesanmi said: “We are tired and frustrated by the high bills without the supply of electricity. The bills range from N3,000 to N11,000. We say no to direct billing system.

    “We have resolved not to pay any other bill until prepaid meters are supplied to the community.”

    Chairman of the community’s Electricity Task Force, Mr. Pius Ayodele, said residents provided electricity equipment through self-help.

    He decried the huge electricity bills BEDC was giving its customers.

    Ayodele said: “What we are passing through is no longer palatable. We procured everything we needed in the 12 zones in the community.’’

  • Yaba LCDA chair urges residents to maintain roads

    Yaba LCDA chair urges residents to maintain roads

    •Council chief renders 100-day accounts

    The Chairman of Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos State, Kayode Omiyale, has urged the residents to take care of the roads to prevent them from damage and ensure longevity.

    The chairman said the mandate the electorate gave him remained sacred, adding that “it must  be used to the advantage of the electorate”.

    Omiyale spoke at the inauguration of two roads – Obadna and Ajayi-Bembe – to mark the 100 days of his administration in office.

    He said: “During the electioneering campaign, I promised to operate an open-door policy. We have not deviated from this promise in the past 100 days we took over the helms of affairs.

    “Yaba LCDA prides itself as one of those with the highest number of higher institutions in Nigeria. It requires extra efforts to promote peace and harmony for the students not to be disturbed in their academic pursuit. This we are doing to the best of our ability.”

    At the inauguration of two roads, Omiyale urged the residents to prevent motor mechanic from turning them into workshops or market places.

    He handed over the roads to the community development associations (CDAs).

    Omiyale said: “The topography of this environment makes it a flood-prone area. We have raised the drainage and the roads to discharge water into the big canal. We made half of Obadina Road to be interlocking because the soil in that area has turned to vegetation. We had to dig deep to get to the soil because of the huge deposits of domestic waste when the roads were not passable…”

  • Residents accuse police of aiding land grabbers

    Residents accuse police of aiding land grabbers

    •Task force chairman: I’m not aware case still in court

    Residents of Okomala Street and Fayemi Close in Ilasamaja, Lagos have accused the police of brutality and connivance with a company to dispossess them of their lands.

    They said that Ilasa Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Oriyomi Titilayo and operatives of the Lagos State Taskforce on Environment had at the instance of Mojec International terrorised them despite a pending suit before an Ikeja High Court.

    The residents, who said the police supervised the demolition of six buildings including those of Pastor John Onyekwere, Blessing Olasukanmi and Mrs Rebecca Obamulire in outright disregard to a court ruling that ordered that Status quo be maintained, added that landlords who protested the action were beaten, bundled into a Black Maria stationed there.

    When The Nation visited the neighbourhood on Monday, armed policemen from Taskforce were seen providing protection for artisans constructing the fence, who moved to and fro the company.

    Representatives of the family that sold lands to the landlords were also seen lamenting the injustice and illegal acts, accusing the police of aiding land grabbing.

    According to Chief Adekunle Isiba, the family never sold any land to the company, adding that efforts to make the police understand that the company was parading “forged documents” and using them illegally had failed.

    He said the police were blind to justice because they were collecting bribes from the company “since our people refused to offer them the bribe they demanded.”

    He said: “This company claims that the military government in Lagos State gave them these lands over 20 years ago. They have been lying and intimidating the people our family sold land to.

    “We sold the lands to the landlords who built their structures on them. One of them has gotten his Certificate of Occupancy (C of O). The others have approvals from the Lagos State Government. The landlords have their receipts, title documents, survey plan and other genuine documents.

    “I do not know why the police would not see that this company they are siding are land grabbers. When I came here on Saturday to see the construction the company was doing despite that we are already in court, the policemen beat me up.

    “They beat me mercilessly and pointed their guns at me that they would shoot me if I didn’t leave the place. This matter started two years ago and we have moved from the DPO to the Area Command. When we saw that the DPO was taking the side of the company, because one of our buyers, Olasukanmi refused to give her bribe of N500,000, our lawyer petitioned the Force Headquarters and a meeting was called in August where the DPO was seriously reprimanded.

    “She was told to stay out of the land and never obstruct the work that Olasukanmi was doing. She obeyed for some time but brought in Taskforce and they supervised the demolition in August.

    “It was in that August that the landlords and our family took the company to court. The matter is before Justice Olayinka at Ikeja High Court. The judge ordered that status quo be maintained pending the determination of the suit.

    “But they did not obey. They came and started constructing fence. They even erected a fence on the street, blocking half of it. We went back to the police to complain that the company was building fence even on the road.

    “The DPO did not do anything.  She told us to go to the Area Commander and when we got there, the Area Commander said the DPO told him the company has gotten judgment in their favour.

    “When did they get judgment when our case is still pending in court. We were even in court on Monday and when we told the judge that the company was building on the land, their lawyer denied that they were not the ones building.

    “We are tired of these harassment and terrorism. Are the police not supposed to be for everybody? Are they not supposed to be on the side of justice? Governor Akinwunmi Ambode should please come and rescue us from this injustice.”

    One of the landlords, Blessing Olasukanmi who said she bought her property two years ago, alleged that she was brutalised by the policemen and that she sustained arm injury.

    She said they had also threatened to deal with her if she refused to sell or relinquish her rights to the land.

    She said: “They claim that Lagos State Government gave them all the lands here many years ago. Why then are they approaching people to sell to them? Is it by force to sell? They paid one man N1,000,000 and paid another one N2,000,000. But I and many others said we are not selling our lands. Is it by force? I have spent over N15 million on my property already before they came and demolished it.

    “They are using DPO Titilayo. I want the world to hear the issues between DPO Titilayo and I. She asked me for N1,000,000 bribe when I went to her for intervention. I told her I was a single mother with children that I do not have that kind of money and that besides I have all my documents from the family.

    “She later reduced the amount to N500,000 and by that time, I had paid the family N250,000 foundation money. So, I went back to the family to demand for a refund since the DPO was asking for money. I told rhem I didn’t understand what was happening and I do not know whether it was police land.

    “It was the family that told me to write a petition against the DPO to force headquarters and I did.  That was how we went to Force Headquarters Annex in Obalende in August and she was warned to stay out of my property.

    “I have never seen the owner of the company. I do not even know her. It is DPO Titilayo that usually brought her men here to intimidate us. Government should call them to order.

    “I was not the only one that was beaten last Wednesday. They also brutalised another landlord Elijah Ita, who came out to ask for a letter authorising them to erect the fence.

    “He was injured and locked inside the Black Maria for three hours. Another landlord, Ernest Anyanwu went and begged the Taskforce people with N5,000 before they released him. They have made life unbearable for us here. Threatening to shoot anyone who questioned them.”

    Corroborating Olasukanmi, Anyanwu said the DPO was the architect of their problems, adding that Onyekwere was forced to relocate to his village and was currently battling ill health.

    “They have not touched my house yet but if all the landlords do not cry out now, they will come for ours soon. That is why all the landlords on both streets sued them. We are disappointed that the police are engaged in such shameful acts.”

    Taskforce Chairman, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said he was not aware the parties were still in court, adding that the information he got from the DPO was that the company had obtained judgment.

    Consequently, Egbeyemi ordered his men to vacate the premises, directing that the parties should come with their documents to his office.

    DPO Oriyomi also denied any involvement in the tussle, insisting that she had been off the case since last year and had always advised parties to go to the Area Commander.

    She denied telling Egbeyemi that the company got judgment in its favour, adding that she stayed off the case as she was asked to, refuting the bribery allegations against her.

  • Council presents empowerment tools to residents

    Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) chairman Kayode Omiyale has presented generators and soft drinks to residents to start up business.

    He also presented books to pupils and lesson notes to teachers.

    The gesture, he said, was to give dividends of democracy to the electorate.

    “We are presenting some of our people with 10 crates of Soft drinks each to start up business. We are also giving out working tools to mechanic, bricklayers, carpenters and welders; Sewing machines; Hair dressing driers; Generators for Barbers and other working tools that can take the youths off the streets.”

    He added that the free exercise books given to pupils in primary schools were to encourage them to be more dedicated to their studies.

    “I urge you all to shun acts capable of destroying your lives, be good ambassadors of your parents and your schools; dream big and work towards achieving your dreams; avoid joining bad groups that can jeopardise your future,” he told the pupils.

    He urged the teachers to work harder, saying “The mistakes of medical personnel are in the mortuary while the mistakes of teachers are on the streets; teachers must endeavour at all times to mould the children to enviable positions”.

    He promised to liaise with relevant agencies to ensure that more teachers are recruited into the school, saying that the current number of teachers are not adequate to cater for the large population of the pupils.

  • No payment of bills again, residents dare IKEDC

    Residents of Santos, Onilekere, Onipetesi, Valley and Punch Estates in Alimosho and Ikeja Local Government Areas of Lagos had protested what they termed “exploitation and outrageous billing” by the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC).

    The protesters, who brandished placards with various inscriptions such as: “No prepaid meter, No payment”, “Evil thrives under darkness, give us light”, “Enough of one day on, two of days off”, “Replacing 15MVA Transformer with 7MVA is not acceptable,” among others.

    They called on IKEDC to urgently address their plights or risk more protest actions.

    Dressed in black clothes to express the state of black out that has continuously thrown the communities into quandary, the aggrieved protesters alleged that IKEDC staff kept bringing estimated bills despite being in black out for over 12 months.

    “It has become so bad that they give us estimated billings, they bring outrageous bills, there is a situation of five houses having a problem of total damage of electric cable yet they kept bringing bills as high as N13,000 monthly. So we are saying enough of this, if there is no power, we won’t pay. We can’t be paying for sunshine,” Chairman, Valley Estate Residents’ Association, Mike Urubusi said, adding “If we cannot get power, then there shouldn’t be any billing coming to our estates. We have been here several times, we have written series of letters to them and they have continually lied to us telling us there’s a transformer they are bringing from Epe. Later they say they are going to import transformers to areas affected and install a new one at Mangoro substation.”

    He alleged that IKEDC has refused to attend to the jaded transformer at Mangoro since January which serves a whole stretch of communities with an estimated 350,000 population according to 2006 census figures.

    “The transformer that broke down at Mangoro is 15MVA and what they’re bringing now is 7.5 MVA. How can 7.5MVA serve that stretch of communities,” Urubusi queried.

    He said the non-provision of pre-paid meters to the electricity consumers in the communities by IKEDC has led to exploitation of residents in the area through estimated billings which does not commensurate with the actual power consume by consumers.

    Another resident who simply identified himself as Amaechi said: “less than 5 per cent of houses in the communities have been provided with prepaid meters. We have written letters and dialogued with them, yet nothing has changed, we had to resort to this to drive home our demands.”

    Tosin Bada, a resident of Santos estate, said: “They put us on one-day on and two-day off (power shedding arrangement), which I have never heard of anywhere in Lagos state. Even during ‘On days’ we don’t get up to 4 hours of electricity supply.”

    The development, he said, has forced many residents to move out of the estates and “has largely contributed to redundancy among artisans and business owners in the communities as many have lost huge fortunes to the menace of power outage running into months.”

    IKEDC Head of Corporate Communications Felix Ofulue, said the issue will be address appropriately.

    “They have promised to officially send in their demands to Ikeja Electric. When that is done, we will address the issues appropriately. Protest is not a suitable method to resolve issues. Their issues will be addressed in a proper manner,” he said.

  • Residents hail LASEMA for emergency numbers’ awareness

    Residents hail LASEMA for emergency numbers’ awareness

    Residents of Lagos West Senatorial District yesterday showered praises on the state’s Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) for educating them on actions to take during an emergency oe disaster.

    Traders and road users danced as LASEMA launched its road show to enlighten Lagos residents about emergency toll free hotlines 767 and 112 as well as the need to call the numbers for urgent intervention.

    The campaign, which kicked off at the LASEMA Response Unit (LRU) at CAPPA, passed through Iyana-Ipaja to Ijanikin in Ojo, covering the Badagry Expressway, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway and terminating at the Lagos State House of Assembly.

    Aside the toll free numbers campaign, LASEMA also educated the residents on the need to be cautious and prevent wild fires during harmattan.

    LASEMA’s General Manager Adesina Tiamiyu, who led representatives of other stakeholders for the campaign, said it was necessary because of the massive investments Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had made in the sector.

    Heavy duty equipment the government bought for emergency services were showcased.

    Firefighters also carried out simulations to teach the residents how to contain fires.

    Referring to the Command and Control Centre at Alausa in Ikeja, the state capital, Tiamiyu said the place was equipped for distress calls – from accidents, fire outbreaks, collapsed buildings, rape, domestic violence, among others – for quick intervention.

    He solicited the cooperation of the residents, particularly motorists during the campaign, saying the agency would engage on road show across the state.

    Tiamiyu said: “This will help to sensitise the public on safety and emergency issues, such as the use of the emergency toll free numbers, and necessary steps to take to avoid emergencies, which most times lead to unnecessary loss of valuable lives and properties.”

    Urging parents to monitor their wards against indiscriminate use of the toll free numbers, the LASEMA chief said necessary disciplinary actions would be taken against those who give false alerts.

    He added that the campaigned would be embarked on across the state, adding that branded souvenirs would be distributed to appreciate residents.

    Tiamiyu said: “We have gone round Lagos West Senatorial District today; we will move to Lagos Central and the East senatorial districts. We want to ensure we touch all the nooks and crannies of Lagos.”

    “The awareness will help to sensitise the public on safety and emergency issues and the use of the emergency toll free numbers for necessary steps to take to avoid disasters.

    “The code number 112 is limited to Lagos and some boundary communities in Ogun State. The 112/767 are popular but we want to get them deeper into the hearts of our mothers, fathers, uneducated and farmers who do not know about these numbers.”

    The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Special Duties, Mrs Adebumi Adekanye, said the campaign was targeted at those at the grassroots to prepare them ahead of the harmattan.

    She said: “As the harmattan weather approaches, we want our people to know that they do not need credit in their phones to call the lines. It is totally free and can be reached at any time of the day. We are out to prevent and mitigate disasters in the state.”

     

  • Residents protest eight-month blackout in Ondo

    Commercial activities were disrupted yesterday for several hours at Kajola (High School) and Araromi communities in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State as residents protested eight months blackout.

    Scores of artisans and youths trooped to the streets and blocked major roads.

    Many motorists and commuters were stranded.

    The protest, which lasted several hours, forced shops and business owners to close for business.

    The protesters accused the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) of insensitivity to their complaints.

    Policemen were on ground to avoid a breakdown of law and order.

    The landlords’ association’s spokesman Otaru Eshimakhe said the communities made several futile representations to BEDC.

    The spokesman said the blackout affected their economic and commercial activities, adding that many businesses have collapsed.

    He said: “We have been in darkness for over eight months and BEDC has not been responding to our plight.

    “Majority of our artisans have closed down while others are leaving the community as a result of the prolonged blackout. We are pleading with the BEDC to have mercy on us and restore power supply.”

    BEDC’s Business Manager for Igbara-Oke Unit Mrs. Iyabo Adefemi said the company was aware of the problem, adding that it is work hard to restore power supply.

    She said the transformer supplying electricity to the areas was damaged.

    The business manager urged residents to pay their bills to enable the company get a transformer for them.

    Mrs Adefemi said: “We are aware of the protest by the people and we have advised them, at our meetings, to pay their debts. They are owing us over N29 million. But through several reconciliation of accounts, the bills have been reduced to N11 million.

    “If they pay, we will work on the faulty transformer for them to have power supply. We can’t use the payments from other communities to repair their damaged transformer.”

     

  • Osun residents back Aregbesola’s govt

    Osun residents back Aregbesola’s govt

    Residents of Osun State have hailed Governor Rauf Aregbesola for his exemplary leadership since he assumed office in November 2010.

    Also, community leaders at Ile-Ogbo in Ayedire Local Government Area said the opposition lacks the leadership acumen to govern the state as the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration has done.

    The residents of Ile-Ogbo sad they supported the Aregbesola administration for its commitment to the campaign promises the governor made in 2007 and during his re-election in 2014.

    The residents spoke at the ancient town while hosting the governor and his entourage.

    Aregbesola had observed the Jum’at prayers at the town’s central mosque before paying homage to the Olu of Ile-Ogbo at his palace.

    The residents trooped out en masse to welcome the governor, who led the chieftains of the APC and other top political functionaries to the town for Jum’at service.

    The area was agog before Aregbesola’s arrival. The peiople mounted several elevated places to see Aregbesola.

    On behalf of the traditional ruler of the ancient town, Oba Abeeb Adetoyese Agbaje, and other residents, the Bashorun of Ile-Ogbo, Prof Pade Aderibigbe, hailed the governor for his resilience in making Osun the cynosure of all eyes through infrastructural development.

  • Suspected robbers injure seven residents

    Barely three days after a seven-man robbery gang raided residents of Tells Estate, Akobo, Ibadan, Oyo State, another gang on Monday night attacked Fenwa community.

    During the operation, which lasted about four hours, belongings and money were stolen by the 15-man robbery gang.

    Seven residents of the community located in Ido Local Government were injured.

    However, members of Otunba Gani Adams-led Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), who went to the community after receiving distress calls, prevented the hoodlums from raiding more houses and apprehended one of the suspected robbers.

    The OPC Chairman in Ido Council, Alhaji Muritala Adekola Ifawale, who led his members to the scene, was reportedly shot by the suspected robbers several times, but the bullets did not penetrate his body.

    After exhausting their bullets, the hoodlums reportedly ran away. OPC members chased them and apprehended one of them, Ojo Adegboyega.

    They recovered a green colour Honda CRV registered as LAGOS LND 667 EU from the robbers.

    Speaking with reporters yesterday, Adegboyega said he joined the gang after he was sacked by a company in Ikeja, Lagos State.

    He said Mr. Roland Wisdom invited his gang for the Monday night operation in which he met his waterloo.

    One of the injured residents, Mr. Wasiu Adegoke, said the robbers stole his N208,000 and valuable items.

    Adegoke, who had deep cuts in his head and blood stains on his body, said he was hit by the gun while struggling with the robbers.

    Another injured victim, Mr. Ogun Jimoh, said the criminals used clubs to hit him in the head after snatching his phones.

    The chairman of the Landlord Association, who preferred anonymity, said some of the victims had been taken to hospital.

    He said the police had been informed, adding that the suspected robber would be handed over to them.

    The community leader alleged that the most frightening thing was that the suspected robber boasted that he would be set free, “even if the landlords take me to Agodi Prison.”

     

  • LASEMA assures Apapa residents of quick response

    LASEMA assures Apapa residents of quick response

    The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has assured residents of Apapa and its environs of its readiness to respond to any emergency situation in the area, following the gridlock arising from traffic congestion.

    LASEMA General Manager Adesina Tiamiyu said yesterday at Alausa that the Agency is exploring various possibilities at ensuring quick and adequate response to any form of emergency in the area or any part of the state.

    He said: “The Agency is looking into the possibility of setting up a temporary dispatch point for quick and adequate response to any case of emergency, while the Agency’s bikers have been dispatched for close monitoring and surveillance of the situation for necessary attention when required. The Agency is also looking at other avenues for periodic report in management of any situation in the area.”

    He pledged that the government “is alive to its responsibilities in ensuring adequate safety of life and property” and would not allow any unfortunate incident to occur as a result of the bottleneck.

    Tiamiyu also advised Lagosians especially residents of the area to “remain calm and endeavour to call the 112/767 for any form of emergency.”