Lekki residents frustrated over two-week power cut, call for action

Some residents of Lekki Phase 1 are angry about the long power cut that has affected parts of their area for almost two weeks due to a transformer fault.

They also criticized what they call negligence, poor communication, and indifference from the Eko Electricity Distribution Company during this blackout.

In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday, they said the long outage has brought serious financial stress on them.

They mentioned that food items have spoiled, and those who rely on private generators are spending more on fuel.

The residents are calling on EKEDC to quickly restore electricity supply to Alhaji Hakeem Odumosu Street and other areas affected in Lekki Phase 1.

One resident, Mr Taiwo Bolodeoku, described the situation as disturbing and disheartening.

“It has been almost two weeks now since a transformer blew up with a loud bang. The transformer services our home and quite a number of other houses in the area.

“No information has been given, no apology has been sent out, and we wonder what is going on as we continue to wait endlessly.

“EKEDC has just been going back and forth without providing information or a plan on when the transformer will be fixed,” Bolodeoku said.

Another resident, Mrs Margaret Sogbesan, accused EKEDC management of playing politics with the situation.

“The system is somehow. We have spoken to everyone that needs to be spoken to; they have given updates and made promises to restore power, but here we are, still without a solution. So, it is really frustrating,” she said.

Similarly, Mr David Nezaya mentioned that life has become unbearable since the area was plunged into darkness almost two weeks ago.

“I work from home, and it is so terrible that I have to power my generator for hours. It is very frustrating.

“We appeal to EKEDC to do the needful and restore our electricity to enable us to live comfortably.

“It is bad enough that the price of petrol is high, yet there is no electricity to cushion the effect of having to buy petrol almost daily just to survive,” Nezaya said.

Ms Efe Obiomah added that she has had to turn off her refrigerator because of the long power outage.

“It is a terrible and uncomfortable situation. We appeal to the electricity managers to restore power,” she said.

However, an EKEDC official, Mr Adeyemi Razaq, told NAN that the company is working to restore electricity in the area during the week.

Razaq said workers have requested the materials needed to fix the transformer and that the request has been approved by the head office.

He also mentioned that the materials have not yet been released to the workers.

“Hopefully, I am promising next week. The materials may arrive on Monday. Hopefully, by Tuesday, they will come and carry out the job, before Wednesday or Thursday next week,” he said.