At the time of writing this comment on Dec. 24, 2012, six towns in Ogun State, for the third year running, are celebrating Christmas and the New Year without electricity.
The six kingdoms are Imasayi, Iboro, Joga, Isaga, Ilewo and Ibara. Since the beginning of this month, these towns have been in perpetual darkness, despite being connected to the national grid.
The same was the case in the December of the past two years. So far, PHCN has not offered any explanation as to why the people of these towns should be denied electricity, when they are bill-paying customers.
Even before December, the situation of supply to the affected towns had been very poor. It had been so epileptic and usually, for weeks, there would be total blackout.
Since it has become an annual ritual from the PHCN to keep these towns in blackout in December, it is looking like a conspiracy to perpetuate darkness and satisfy some other people at our expense. PHCN usually lacks any clue as to how to restore power to the towns or explanation about the cause.
Businesses are dying, especially at this period of potential huge sales: while PHCN workers will get their pay to celebrate with their families, our children are down with rashes since fans and air conditioners cannot be powered and the joyful mood of the festive period is absent.
The problem is that PHCN will still bill us for all the period that they failed to provide power supply to all customers in the towns affected.
The people of the affected towns are fed up and will want power restore to their domestic and business premises fast since it is a service being paid for.
Kehinde Akinlade, Adeniyi House, Arowoagbon Compound, Iboro, Yewa North LGA, Ogun State, 08035888122, kehindeakinlade@yahoo.com
