Power outages in Ifo, Ota Papalanto, other Ogun communities enter 10 days, as IBEDC blames TCN
Samuel Agbelusi
The ongoing power outages being witnessed in Ota, Papalanto, Arigbajo, Apomu, Ejio, Ifo town, and some parts of Lagos/Abeokuta expressway and environs, in Ogun state, for almost ten days, as the management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company(IBEDC) has attributed the crisis to a technical fault on the 132/33KV Papalanto, managed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria(TCN).
Residents of the communities in a conversation with EnergyDay’s correspondent while bemoaning the negligence of IBEDC over the outages, lamented that the power situation in the area has worsened in recent times.
The concerned residents in Ifo town, Onihanle, Ijako, Ajibode, Pakoto, and Coker complained that the blackout has lingered for some days due without any attempt by the DisCo to rescue the situation.
Speaking with Mr. Agbaje Akinsonu, a community head in the Onihanle community, expressed disappointment at IBEDC for not reaching out to the residents, for more than a week since the outage started.
He said, “All efforts have been made to ensure the community complies with the necessary measures with the IBEDC but to no avail. We have made a lot of complaints to the Ifo undertaking with other neighbouring communities affected but no response.”
Another resident of the Pakoto community, Mr. Babatunde Ayinde, rated the customer approach of IBEDC as very poor. According to him, the community has been witnessing outages for more than ten days.
He said, “ This has affected business activities in the Ifo area. We have been spending money on buying petrol to power businesses and homes. Outages often encourage buglers to perpetrate their heinous acts.
“It is as if there is a collaboration between thieves and IBEDC as the security situation is always very poor in the area whenever there are prolonged outages in the community.
In a response to the plight of the communities, EnergyDay, IBEDC, Ogun state region, in a statement released on Monday said that the outage is due to a technical fault on the 132/33KV Papalanto TCN 30 MWA transformer.
IBEDC said, “Customers in the following communities under Ota-industries & Water Works 33KV feeder are experiencing power outage: Papalanto, Arigbajo, Apomu, Ejio, Ifo town, Agosi, Olomu road, Ososun village, Coker, Akinside, Ibogun, Oju-sango, Abule-Ogun, Suolu, Pakoto, Babyoku, Agbegise, Ogungbade, Ajibode, Abudu, Iyana Cele, Iyana Ilogbo, Owode, Ijako, Isorosi, Ishaka, igbala, Ijako sugar, lagos/Abeokuta expressway, and environs are affected.
“Our technical team is working with TCN to ensure power supply is restored. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.
