Edo Communities Lament 9-Month Blackout, Seek Governor’s Intervention

Residents of Ikagbigbo, Ayogwiri, Irekpai and Ugbenor communities in Edo State have decried a blackout that has lasted about nine months following the failure of a substation transformer supplying electricity to the areas.

Daily Trust reports that the transformer developed a fault in April this year, plunging the communities into darkness.

The residents appealed to Governor Monday Okpebholo for intervention, saying they could no longer rely on the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (DisCo) to resolve the problem.

A resident of Irekpai, Musa Habibu, said the transformer serving the four communities broke down nine months ago leaving them without electricity, noting that the fault was beyond what the communities could handle, hence their appeal to the state government for assistance.

Similarly, a resident of Ayogwiri, who identified himself as Dada, described the prolonged blackout in Ayogwiri, Ikagbigbo, Irekpai and Ugbenor as embarrassing and unacceptable.

He lamented that those expected to champion the resolution of the issue were comfortable using generators.

Another resident, Mr Awalu Zaki, said the blackout had brought untold hardship to the communities.

“We now pay to charge our phones at charging centres that operate with generators,” he said, calling on the state government and well-meaning individuals to come to the aid of the communities.