11th September, 2016
Mr Moruff Balogun, Chairman of the CDA told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that social and commercial activities in the area had become paralysed as a result of the lingering disconnection.
Balogun said that electricity consumers in the area had been fulfilling their obligations by paying the monthly electricity bills from EKEDC regularly, in spite of the fact that most residents were being served with estimated bills.
The chairman claimed that the CDA had written several letters to EKEDC on the need for the installation of prepaid meters in the area, “but up till now, EKEDC had yet to fulfil their obligation’’.
He noted that it was, however, unlawful for the company to disconnect the community from the transformer, through their officials at the Mushin District Office of EKEDC, because of the “allegedly unpaid estimated bills which were distributed two years ago’’.
Balogun lamented that the issue of the adjustment of the individual accumulated accounts of residents of the community, was allowed to linger up till now by the company.
The CDA chairman said that it was the delay in adjusting the accounts that was responsible for the current disconnection of public electricity supply to the area.
Also speaking on the issue, Mr Lekan Adebiyi, General Secretary of the association, disclosed that the CDA had sent a formal Letter of complaint to the company, condemning the activities of some officials of the company’s Mushin District Office, over the alleged “unlawful disconnection’’.
He said that commercial activities were no more booming in their community and local artisans have turned to commercial motorcyclists, so as to be able to feed themselves and their families.
“It is disheartened to see our neighbouring communities on regular power supply, while we are in total darkness,’’ the general secretary said.
Adebiyi noted that consumers in the area were friendly, peace-loving and law-abiding, adding that the EKEDC management was not being fair to consumers on prepaid meters in the area.
When contacted on the issue, Mr Ademola Adegoke, Head of EKEDC’s Department of Communication, said that the company had not received any letter from the association.
Adegoke, however, recalled that electricity consumers in the area had threatened to beat up EKEDC staff.
He said that the management of EKEDC had requested the CDA to write a letter assuring the company that the residents would not assault its employees.
Adegoke said while bringing the letter, the CDA should ensure that part of the bills being owed by some residents of the community were paid, after which consumers in the community would be re-connected back to the transformer.
“As soon as they are able to abide by these two conditions, we will re-connect the community to the transformer,’’ he added.