8-Month Blackout Induced Migration Of Residents, Business Owners In Osun Community
Yusuf Oketola
RESIDENTS and Business owners at Gbongan-Alamo community in Ayedaade local government area of the State of Osun are now moving out of the area over persistent power failure, investigation has revealed.
OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the community has been in blackout for over eight months as a result of the breakdown of the 500kv transformer supplying electricity to the community.
The transformer, it was gathered, is 15-year-old, and was donated to the community during the second term of former governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola in 2008.
Residents of Gbongan-Alamo community told OSUN DEFENDER that some unscrupulous elements have been taking the advantage of the blackout to perpetrate evils at night.
Speaking with the medium, the Youth Coordinator of Alamo Community, Yinka Oloyede, said the community have been managing and repairing the transformer three years after it was donated to the town, until it could no longer be repaired.
He said: “The transformer was donated to the community during the second tenure of former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and it started developing fault three years after.
“The community have been managing it and taking responsibility for the repair cost. We contributed to pay IBEDC workers whenever they come for the repair.
“But in the last eight months now, it has been total blackout in the area, the transformer has packed off. It is no more working. Immediately the transformer stopped working, we notified the IBEDC to stop bringing bills to the community which they have already complied with because no one is ready to pay.
“The Gbongan office of the IBEDC has also written a letter to Ife office, notifying them about the blackout and the letter has been approved”.
In the bid to restore electricity back to the community, the youth coordinator said the community leadership had met with the member representing Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Hon. Taiwo Oluga to seek her intervention.
He said: “We have gone to our House of Representatives member from this constituency, Hon. Taiwo Oluga, she told us she is already working on it and that all letters have reached the necessary offices and that another transformer will be given to us very soon”.
OSUN DEFENDER noted that economic activities of the community has paralysed as artisans and other business owners who needs electricity to run their activities now gets premium motor spirit (petrol) between the rate of N280 to N300 per litre at Ode-omu and Gbongan to keep their business moving
Also, residents who rent apartment are now relocating from the area to another community due to the black out.
“All residents of the community were just managing due to the total blackout. Business activities has been paralyzed. sales is not the way it used to be even, some business owners are already relocating to another community. They cannot endure the blackout anymore.
“Only those who are house owners are left here because there is nowhere to go for them. The blackout has also made it easy for unscrupulous element to perpetrate evils at night.
“We are urging the state government and our representative from Ayedire local government to please come to our aid. We need a new transformer. The size of the faulty one is 500kv”, Oloyede added.
