Somolu residents decry erratic power supply

Some residents and business owners in Somolu Local Government Area of Lagos State have expressed their concern over the persistent erratic power supply experienced over the past four months.

Speaking with our correspondent on Thursday in Lagos, the residents said that they had been experiencing near-daily power outages since December 2024.

The affected areas are Fola-Agoro, Bajulaiye, Oga, Morocco, Church, Emmanuel Kolawole, Moshalasi, Oguntolu and Olaleye, Akeju, Fadipe and its environs.

The residents also called on IKEDC to urgently look into and address the prolonged power outage that has affected the area for the past 10 days.

According to them, the power outage is crippling businesses and severely impacting the quality of life in the communities.

Mrs Ngozi Amakadioha, a housewife, lamented that her household barely received eight hours of electricity per day since December 2024.

“Last December was particularly difficult. We couldn’t preserve food in our freezers for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

“I spent the entire yuletide going to the market and cooking daily, which was exhausting and expensive,” she said.

Supermarket owner, Mrs Faruda Sodiq, explained the financial losses her business had incurred.

She said, “All the frozen goods I stocked for the festive season got spoilt and had to be thrown away.

“Since December, my business has been unprofitable. I’ve had to lay off two staff members, and I’m struggling to pay the remaining two due to the poor sales.”

Sodiq expressed particular disappointment with the Ikeja Distribution Company (IKEDC) unfulfilled promise of regular electricity during Ramadan.

“We, the residents of Fola-Agoro, even went to the IKEDC Office at Onipanu last month to complain about the erratic supply.

“They promised improvement, but we only had consistent power for three days before the situation worsened.

“We have been in total blackout for the last 10 days, crippling businesses. We are pleading with IKEDC to urgently address this,” she pleaded.

Mr Raphael George, who owns a restaurant in the area, told NAN that his business is heavily reliant on a constant power supply, forcing him to depend on generators.

He said, “I run my generator from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily to keep my customers who come here to relax.

“The cost of diesel for my Lister generator and petrol for my other generator is substantial and is severely impacting my profits, especially with this prolonged 10-day blackout.”

A landlady, Mrs Grace Balogun, described the situation as unbearable.

“We have repeatedly complained to the electricity company’s office and received assurances of change, but the situation remains dire.

“The Landlord Association has been appealing to the youths to remain calm and avoid any disruptive actions against the IKEDC office in Onipanu.

“We urge the management of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) to urgently intervene,” he stated.

Also, Ms Zainab Ademola, another supermarket owner in the Morocco, highlighted the detrimental impact of the power disruption on her business.

She revealed that upon contacting the IKEDC business unit in Onipanu, she was informed that the 10-day blackout was due to a “minor fault.”

Ademola said, “This is not good at all for everyone living in Somolu because this area is a cashcow for IKEDC due to the nature of businesses here.

“My area, Morocco, has been in complete darkness for the past 10 days, not even a flicker of IKEDC light.

“Somolu is a bustling hub, and most of our activities depend on electricity, especially in this 21st century where technology reigns.

“It’s frustrating to see neighbouring areas like Bariga and Gbagada with consistent power supply while we are left in darkness. IKEDC, please come to our rescue.”

Mr Sheriff Agbabiaka, a welder, lamented the huge debt he had incurred due to the power outage.

He explained, “I secured a contract with a two-week deadline, but the total blackout has made it impossible to work.

“I’ve had to take the materials to neighbouring streets with electricity, incurring heavy additional costs just to avoid disappointing my client.

“I haven’t made any profit; in fact, I’ve had to use my personal funds.”

Agbabiaka also expressed confusion regarding their electricity tariff band, noting that neighbouring areas like Abule-Oja, Abule-Ijesha, Akoka, Onipanu, and Bariga consistently enjoy a steady power supply.

However, Mr Kingsley Okotie, Head, Corporate Communications of IKEDC, declined comment on the issue when contacted.