Why It Was A Dark Christmas For Lagos Residents

Lagos – It was a dark Christmas for many dwellers of the Lagos metropolis, as there have been power outages since December 25.

Mile 12, Ketu, Ojota, Maryland, Palmgrove, Onikpanu, Bariga, Lagos Island, Oshodi/Isolo, Apapa, Munshi, Iyana Oworo neighbourhoods residents have voiced their descontent over Power Holding Company of Nigeria’ failure to ensure stable electricity suplly.

“We have never seen it like this before,” Mr. Ayo Adeyinka, a resident of Mushin, lamented. “There was light on Dec. 24, although it was on and off till 7 a.m. on the Christmas day. Since that time, up till this morning, we have not seen light in any part of this area.”

He then added that the privatisation of the power sector had not been beneficial to the citizens in spite of the government’s efforts to make things work.

Mr. Sunday Olarewaju, who resides in Ketu, remarked that the PHCN management had not made any attempt to explain the blackouts.

“We do not know if PHCN workers are on strike or not. In our usual way, we have checked the transformers and moved round, but there is no sign that a major fault was responsible for the blackout,” he said, adding that the residents intend to seek explanation at the PHCN office.

Yet another Lagos resident whose family had a “harrowing experience celebrating Christmas without electricity,” Mr. Adeloju Shokoya, said, “If there is light, you will not meet most of us outside; we would have been somewhere else watching films or football matches.

“I have been on generator since Christmas Day with the hope that PHCN would soon restore electricity supply. Up till this morning, we have not seen even the normal flashing they give us at times.”

Mr. Adetola Williams, a Lagos Island resident, maintained that people should enjoy themselves in any situation.

“PHCN or no PHCN, man must enjoy himself,” he said.

“Yesterday, we were outside drinking and we used generators to power our musical sets in order to enjoy ourselves. From the look of things, we may do the same again today because l don’t understand this PHCN palaver anymore. You know they do what they like but they cannot spoil our enjoyment and merriment in this Christmas period.”

Why It Was A Dark Christmas For Lagos Residents