Some communities in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, have warned staff of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to steer clear of their communities.

The communities warned IBEDC not to send any of its staff to bring monthly bills to their areas.

They noted that this is necessary due to erratic supply of electricity and outrageous bills they have been getting from the distribution company.

The communities which include Apete, Awotan, Araromi, Arola and Akufo, all in Ido Local Government Area and Ajibode in Akinyele Local Government Area insisted that they have been experiencing erratic supply of electricity, while IBEDC has been billing them outrageously.

They advised IBEDC to immediately take the communities out of their grid.

Our correspondent recalls that the communities had in August last year staged a protest to kick against erratic supply of electricity and outrageous bills by IBEDC.

Leaders of the communities in a letter titled “Letter of Disengaging our Customer Relationship with IBEDC”, jointly signed by Engineer Rasak Fabayo, Ademuyiwa Oluwole and Alhaji Ajadi Oladeji, President, Secretary and Treasurer respectively of the Central committee of Ajibode, Apete, Awotan, Araromi, Akufo and environs Community Development Association, stressed that they will not allow any IBEDC staff within the communities to continue carrying out what they called a ‘criminal act’.

The communities, in their protest letter, copied the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Apete, Managers IBEDC Apete and Ajibode stations as well as Dugbe Business Manager of IBEDC.

They alleged that IBEDC gave a bill of N100,000 to a house that has not been connected to electricity.

The communities jointly rejected the ‘criminal act of issuing bills with a value well above N5,000 and N10, 000 in a month when power supply is less than an hour most days of the month’.

They further lashed out at the management of IBEDC of lacking capacity to manage both the staff and the product being sold to them.

They maintained that despite being marginalized in power supply by IBEDC, the communities will no longer tolerate fraudulent actions of their staff in the communities and would prefer the organization remove the communities off their grid.

The communities in the letter made available to DAILY POST on Sunday said, “With reference to a series of letters written to your organization about our communities being marginalized, it is obvious by your organization’s body language and non-challant attitude that it is a deliberate act to rip-off our people. We have also seen that you lack the capacity to manage both the staff and the product you are selling.

“May we shock you a little. Your organization gave a bill of over one hundred thousand to a house that has not been electrified. Where is the place and position of integrity and value for humanity in the act of your staff in this issue?

“Therefore in view of the above, all of us in the above communities are pleased to tell you that we are tired of your incompetence and insincerity. By this, we are no more interested in the service of your organization known as IBEDC. You are free to take us off your grid. As from now, we will not allow any of your staff within our communities to continue to carry out this criminal act.”
Source: Daily Post