Ogun community contributes to purchase own transformer

Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta

After waiting endlessly for over a year to receive the pledge from the state government to allocate a transformer to them, residents of Olokuta community have taken their fate in their own hands by purchasing a new transformer.

It was jubilation all the way as both old and young in the community, which is located in Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun state were singing and dancing, praising their community leaders for the giant stride.

Our correspondent gathered that landlords and residents in the area contributed the sum of N20,000 per a house and the money was judiciously expended to buy the transformer.

The community, had in the past five years been in a total blackout and had made several request to the past administration of Otunba Gbenga Daniel, but all to no avail.

The leadership of the community, however, wrote to the present governor, Ibikunle Amosun to come to their aid and they were promised to be given one as their name was written down, “Surprisingly, when the government over a year ago, distributed transformers to some communities with certificates handed over to the beneficiary, Olokuta, which was also penciled down for the gestures was also issued a certificate alongside other benefiting communities. As
at this very moment, over a year ago, the government had failed to produce the transformer to us, in spite of all pleas,both written and verbal,” one of the CDA Executive member revealed.

It would be recalled that some communities were given the transformers at the event, which was personally conducted by the state governor himself.

The determined efforts of the community yielded good result over the weekend, when the community leaders contacted a transformer producing company in Lagos for the purchase of the 500kva transformer.

The transformer was brought to the community at about 5:30 p.m. to the admiration of all the residents, who are over 5,000 in population.

Speaking to our correspondent, the Public Relations Officer of the community, Prince Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji confirmed the development. He further disclosed that, it was the personal efforts and contribution by both the landlords and some residents in the area that made it possible for them to have hope again to get light.

“The most ridiculous and worrisome situation was that the government gave us a certificate as beneficiary of distributed transformers, but a year after, no transformer is given to the community.

“We made several plea to the governor verbally and in writing, but it is always promise upon promise which failed to see the light of the day till today. It was after a second thought that we realised that it was a deceitful pledge. We now decided to take our fate in our hands and tasked ourselves to buy the transformer, which was delivered to us today”, the Community spokesman stated.

Commenting on what is going to be the next line of action now, the PRO said, “Our next line of action is to power the transformer. Let us again see if the government is coming to assist us at that level now”, he said.