Landlords, residents and business owners have lamented the two-year blackout experienced in the Kila community, Orile-Ilugun, in the Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Members of the community, while complaining bitterly over the lack of power, said the development had grounded business operations in the community.
They also said the transformer supplying power in the community had been vandalised and some of the components stolen by vandals, adding that efforts to replace the stolen components or to purchase a new transformer had proved abortive.
The community members, who accused vandals of being partly responsible for the blackout experienced in the community, said the suspects also plunged no fewer than 23 communities into darkness after stealing electrical cables used in supplying power in the communities.
Speaking with our correspondent, a businesswoman selling soft drinks and beverages in the community, Abike Ajibola, said the lack of power supply had affected her business, adding that the high cost of purchasing fuel had also increased the amount expended on buying ice blocks to make her drinks chilled to attract customer patronage.
She said, “The last time we had light in this town was over two years ago. We buy ice blocks to sell the drinks since the issue of power supply started. We used to buy a piece for N300 to N400. But now, each bowl size of an ice block is N700 to N800, excluding the cost of transport.
“The CDA tried. They said something was missing where they planted the transformer. Since it was reported that something had been stolen where they planted the transformer, the CDA installed a solar power supply to illuminate the site of the transformer to avoid further steps.”
A widow, Kubura Ajoke, said in a bid to cope with the situation in the community, some residents had resorted to using solar power to power their houses.
“People who cannot afford a generator are now buying solar power equipment for their homes. The one I use in my house has three bulbs. Others in the community use similar energy sources but they are not as efficient as an electric power supply. Many people spend money to charge their gadgets at the charging centres at night,” Ajoke said.
A barber in the community, Taiwo Ogunbiyi, said electricians were responsible for vandalising the transformer and stealing cables supplying power in the community.
He said, “The power supply in this town has been sabotaged. Even before this two years blackout, there had been an issue of theft of electric installation.
“There is no way people who do not know about electricity will know what to steal from a transformer. When we were still having power, some parts would have while others would be in darkness.”
On his part, the Chairman of the Community Development Association, Dr Ajitola Adeoye, pleaded with those in authority for help, adding that the community had spent a lot of money on power supply restoration.
He said, “The power holding company said an underground where the transformer is planted had been stolen. We have already spent a lot on fixing the transformer. We call on the authorities to help the community to restore the power supply in this town.”
Contacted, the spokesperson, the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, Busola Tunwase, said an investigation would commence to unravel the problem behind the power outage in the town.
“We will investigate. We need to find out the problem behind the power outage. We do not take lightly when any of our customers are in darkness. Two years is unacceptable,” Tunwase said.