After 20 years without electricity, Fenwa Araromi community cries for government intervention

RESIDENTS of Fenwa Araromi community in Apata area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital have called on the state government, led by Engr Seyi Makinde to come to their aid and save them from 20 years of darkness in line with the promises made to them during electioneering.

The community said unlike other communities it lacks the dividends of democracy and has not felt impact of governance over the years, emphasising that Fenwa community has only one primary school—St. John Primary School—founded in 1951 which presently has no furniture for students to learn and has a damaged roof.

Speaking on their plight, the chairman of the residents association, Omotayo Ogunbanwo, lamented that everything that brings joy and comfort to humans is absent in their community, adding that the road leading to the community was graded by the residents as the local government failed to head to their calls.

He pleaded for government’s intervention, stating that “for the past 20 years, we have been in darkness, there has been no power supply and we have been calling for help since and for weeks now, we have been going round media houses to lend a voice to our struggle so that the state government can hear us and we have also gone to the state secretariat to present our issues to them.

“We bought electric poles and erected them to where the high tension wires will be hanged; we have acquired a transformer for about 15 months now, but the financial strain is now too much on the people, we are tired, there is no fund for us to continue the project any longer.

“If you walk down, you will see where we started the wiring and how it is going, so far, we have erected over 50 poles now with our money. We bought transformer with our own money and the local government chairman of our area is not helping at all, we have met them on many occasions, even during the last general election, they were here; they promised heaven earth that they are going to do something reasonable about our area and up to this moment, we have not gotten any reasonable response from them.

“If you look round, you will see that this area lacks the necessary infrastructure for comfortable community existence. Most residents have abandoned their houses and many that stay behind keep their children in town. If there is light, most graduates will stay here and find something to do but they have moved to the town, it shouldn’t be.

“We are appealing to the Oyo State governor Engineer Seyi Makinde, to come to our aid and do something fast. The last time we went to the secretariat, they were seeing everybody but we were not given audience,” he said.

Also, secretary of the community, Mr Adebimpe Adesoji said they were tired of staying in darkness, adding that the burden of relying on generators for 20 years is becoming too heavy.

“We have spent over N3.5 million through our contribution and we were able to purchase transformers, electric poles and some wires. Currently, we need N10.5 million to get light and we have tried our best but things are not going as we envisage and that is why you are here today.

“We have been to Local Government Development Council, Ido Local Government, State Secretariat, IBEDC and up till today, there has been no response. We believe in the leadership of Governor Makinde and other well meaning Nigerians who can be of help to our community and we appeal to them to help us,” he said.

Another resident also charged Governor Makinde to fulfill the promise he made to the community during electioneering, adding that, “I have been here for the past 20 years without electricity and politicians are coming to campaign. Our polling unit is zone 7, ward 7 and people are voting here. We requested for light, a better school for our children and good roads and we are yet to get any of these,” she said.

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