By Segun Giwa
Akure – Mr Olomola Adetoun, the Coordinator of Akoko Concerned Youths (ACY) in Ondo State, says the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has disconnected four local governments from national grid for three years.
Addressing a news conference in Akure on Tuesday, Adetoun said the four councils were disconnected from national grid because the people in the councils owed N28 million electricity bill.
The affected local government areas are Akoko southwest, Akoko northeast, Akoko northwest and Akoko southeast.
He said that the areas owed the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) before it was sold to the BEDC.
Adetoun said that BEDC bought both the assets and liabilities of the company and the money to be paid was part of the liabilities to be settled in order to be reconnected to the grid.
The coordinator said that about N11 million had been realised so far and pleaded to the people of the community to also pay up in order to restore electricity to the areas.
He however condemned the attitude of political leaders from the areas for not showing concerns to the plight of the people.
Adetoun said that political office holders should not only come to the people when they needed votes but they should also come in times when their communities needed them most.
He said that apart from Sen. Borofice Ajayi representing Ondo North Senatorial District in the Senate that contributed N5 million for the project, others did not assist the people.
Adetoun said that lack of electricity supply had crippled the economic activities in the entire four council areas in Ondo state.
“Our politicians are happy that the people are subjected to this darkness. We commend our people for complying to pay the agreed sum per house.
“We call on our political office holders to come to assist us now, it is not when you need our votes that you should come and give us money,” he said.
Adetoun said that Ikaram and Igbaram communities had been able to pay a large chunk of the money.
He, however, appealed to the government at various levels to help look into the situation to assist the communities.