By Amuda Dan Sulaiman Fab
Residents of Lokongoma Housing Estate, Phase I, popularly known as Workers Village in Lokoja, have appealed to Ahmed Usman Ododo and the senator representing Kogi West, Sunday Karimi, to urgently intervene and provide a new electricity transformer after months of blackout in the community.
The residents lamented that the prolonged power outage has paralysed economic and social activities in the estate, leaving families in hardship and businesses struggling to survive.
According to a statement issued by a resident, Olusola Baoku, life in the estate has become unbearable as many households can no longer cope with the difficult living conditions caused by the lack of electricity supply.
He said the transformer serving the area had broken down twice in recent times, noting that residents previously contributed over N3 million to repair the facility after being levied between N6,000 and N14,000 per household.
Baoku explained that after the first repair, residents resumed payment of electricity bills to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), but were again asked to raise another N4 million following a fresh fault on the transformer.
âThis cannot continue. We cannot tolerate this any longer. We are citizens of this country and citizens of this state,â he said.
The residents noted that Workers Village is a major residential area in Lokoja with an estimated population of over 50,000 people, many of whom actively participate in elections and deserve government attention.
They further disclosed that widows, retirees and small-scale traders living in the estate have been among the worst hit, as many depend on sales of sachet water, biscuits and soft drinks for daily survival.
Some residents also said students preparing for examinations now study under difficult conditions, while families are forced to rely on expensive fuel-powered generators to meet basic needs.
They added that the blackout has heightened security concerns in the neighbourhood, especially at night when streets and homes are left in darkness.
The community members praised Senator Karimi for past constituency interventions in several communities and appealed to him to extend similar support to Workers Village by facilitating a new transformer.
They also described Governor Ododo as a leader known for responding to the needs of the people, expressing confidence that his administration would not ignore their plight.
Residents urged the relevant authorities and electricity distribution company to act swiftly, warning that continued delay could worsen the suffering of thousands of people living in the estate.
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