Residents of several Ogun communities have voiced their frustrations over the prolonged power outages they have been experiencing, urging the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to address the situation. Some areas have been without electricity for as long as 10 days to two weeks.
The residents stated that they were less concerned about Thursday’s picketing by labor unions, which temporarily disrupted power supply in the IBEDC coverage areas.
According to them, the outage persisted before, during, and after the protest, with no improvements in sight. While business activities resumed shortly after the picketing, an anonymous official revealed that the management of IBEDC had started engaging in negotiations to resolve the issue.
Adekunle Adebiyi, a resident of the Ita Eko area, highlighted that his neighborhood had been without power for over 10 days, expressing concerns that this could pose security risks. In Kemta Idi Aba, power is available only once every five days, a similar situation reported in Sokori, Omida, Ijeja, and Quarry areas of Abeokuta. However, residents of Oke Ilewo mentioned that their power supply was more stable.
A welder from Sango-Ota, Rasaq Raji described the situation as frustrating and painful. He explained that many of his jobs remained incomplete due to the power outages, leaving him unsure of how to explain the delay to his customers. He added that, due to the lack of reliable electricity, he was forced to find alternative energy sources to continue his work and provide for his family.
He urged the Federal Government to intervene and address any issues preventing IBEDC from effectively meeting the electricity needs of the public.
