Some communities in Ibeju Lekki have called on the Lagos state government to restore electricity to their areas after 16 years of no supply.
It was gathered that most of the communities have been in darkness since early 2000 and efforts to find a solution to the challenges have been unsuccessful.
The communities host the Lekki Free Trade Zone and Dangote refinery, Lekki Deep Seaport among other multi-billion-naira projects.
In 2000, electric poles, transformer and cables were fixed and some of the communities had limited power supply.
Some of the residents and Indigenes called the state government to rescue the communities from electricity blackout.
An activist, Muhammed Jamiu Olayinka said most of the communities in the local government have been in darkness since 2005 which have caused more damage to the affected communities.
“2005, Ibeju-lekki started facing challenges of electricity epilepsy/failure which finally went off in coastal area in 2012. The blackout causes many damages, destruction and setback to Ibeju-lekki economy and reduced population because no stable business for the traders nor work for the artisan dealing with electricity which warrants relocation to the neighboring city for their proper businesses. The rate of hoodlums, thieves, thugs now increased as no light to open up all the hidden area and black spots.
“The Lagos State and Ibeju-lekki Government should try all their possible best to restore the electricity most especially in coastal area so that the economy and population can grow again.” he said.
Idris Oni added that lack of electricity have crippled businesses.
According to him, “Failure in electricity supply in Ibeju-Lekki has becoming unbearable in our local government most especially Coaster Area. For years now we haven’t see what the call electricity supply while it affect our businesses in many ways. Let us have it in mind that electricity is one of the best when it comes to a civilization era. It is so ashamed to say it that in Lagos State there is a local government call Ibeju-Lekki with no electricity supply for years which have turn most of our business down from operating.
“Our leaders have failed us in electricity supply without giving hope of restoring it at all. I can say this that there is no any other Local Government Area/ Local Council Development Area in Lagos State that has no supply except for Ibeju-Lekki Local Government/ Lekki Local Council Development Area alone, but yet our leaders do go to other Areas in the state to enjoy power supply but leave their own people in darkness, it is call shame to Ibeju-Lekki/ Lekki Local Council Development Area leaders for not giving the best to their people by ensuring them of electricity supply for about seven (7) years back now and meanwhile another election is around the conner and when voting them in now another black out of power supply is counting. This is not funny anymore at all.” He said
For Balogun Sulaimon, he said the Government has forgotten Ibeju Lekki.
“Government of Nigerian has forgotten ibeju-lekki, and even state government, for the past 13 years not having a light is very bad, to a whole local government, please help us.” He said
In may 2021, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) signed an agreement with Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) for supply of 300 mega watts to Ibeju-Lekki communities.
Mrs Olufunke Nwankwo, Head, Communication and Public Relations, NDPHC said that the project would also supply power to other franchise areas in Lagos State.
However, The African Development Bank (AFDB) have commenced to restore Electricity to some communities in Ibeju Lekki through their Electrification Project.
The lead consultant Professor Joseph Ebigwai disclosed that the aim of the project is to ensure steady electricity as well as increase the power usage in Ibeju Lekki.
He assured that bad poles will be replaced with new ones while illegal connections which are causes of shortage in electricity supply will be removed and power transmitted directly from the source.
So we had another ileya with electricity