Business owners in Lagos lament poor power supply, stage protest to EKDC headquarters
- Electricity consumers have besieged the headquarters of the Eko Electricity Distribution Company
- The consumers, who own micro, small and medium enterprises, protested the lack of electricity supply in their business community
- The protesting business owners belong to the Sura Association in Lagos state
Owners of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) under the aegis of Sura Association in Lagos state have lamented the lack of electricity in the business community and staged a protest to register their grievances.
The headquarters of the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKDC) in Marina, Lagos, was besieged by members of the association, PM News reports.
Legit.ng gathers that the protesting businessmen sang solidarity songs which said they were tired of what they called “the Supply of darkness” by the Disco, a situation which had affected their businesses adversely.
The placards they carried read various inscriptions such as: “EKDC, allow FG deregulation to work,” “EKDC is from public monopoly to private monopoly,” “Stop disrupting our businesses,” “Sura Association says no to EKDC, we want IPP.”
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The Sura complex is a multipurpose business community comprising caterers, printers, tailors, producers of locally made gift items and other MSMEs. The complex has over one thousand shops and requires constant electricity supply daily activities.
According to the chairman of the association of shop owners at the complex, Bunmi Ajayi, the complex had been battling poor electricity supply and exorbitant billings for many years.
She said many of the occupants who could not afford it were running generators but had left because of the lack of electricity which had killed their businesses.
Ajayi said since the association is dissatisfied with the service of EKDC, it has resolved to get an alternative through Independent Power supply (IPP), adding that the Disco should stop supplying them electricity.
Addressing the protesters, the MD/ CEO of the Disco, Adeoye Fadeyi, said: “We have found out that you have been disconnected, and I have tried to get the specifics of when, how and under what circumstances and what really happened.
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"We are law abiding organisation and operate in an industry that is regulated and I thank you for maintaining law and order, you have the right to come here today and protest peacefully and understand exactly what we are doing about your power.
“For us there are issues that are in court as you know which obviously I cannot speak about the details of it. There is no intent on the part of Eko Electricity and I speak on behalf of the board and management to create undue stress or put pressure on you the customers. There are a lot of issues and one of the things we would right away is to make sure you are reconnected while we deal with the issues on ground."
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that hundreds of women from Alaba-Oro, Mosafejo and Amukoko area of Lagos on Thursday, April 5, stormed the Marina headquarters of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), protesting over six-year epileptic power supply.
The all-women protesters prevented workers and visitors from entering EKEDC premises and caused traffic gridlock on the ever-busy Lagos Marina.
Nigerian Electricity Crisis Explained | on Legit.ng TV
Source: Legit.ng
