Rural electrification is often considered to be the backbone of the rural economy. Iluke electrification project was awarded by the federal government many years ago; the contractor handling the project took yearsto abandon the electrification project, until special intervention by the community for the contractor to partially complete the project in the year 2013.
There is very little for anybody to say as to reason of the irresponsible behavior of contractor that fail (or refuse)to complete project.
Community Intervention
After many years of abandonment at the 70% completion, contractor flew into thin air claiming that Federal government did not release fund for the completion. At this point community leaders seek to negotiate with the contractor to facilitate the completion. Some money where agreed to be paid by the community to enable the contractor complete the work and connect the light to power at Aiyegunle Gbede.
All the youths in the community supported the project to render a community service by providing the manpower, accommodation, intensive feeding and care to the contractor, haven known that it a federal government self-funded project but the curiosity and eagerness to lighting up the community energize the willingness to extend that kind of generosity to the contractor.
At the completion the community all assume that the issue of total darkness and black out will be the thing of the past but reverse was the case, not until we notice that the project where shabbily done or better still a substandard one. The poles in the swamping area begin to fall off and other substandard apparatus used reached their ends of life.
Again the community took a step to meet with the authority of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Ayetoro Gbede Office to look for a better and lasting solution for the problem but the story still remain the same as the contractor, no funding.
Iluke community raises another fund in collaboration with AEDC Ayetoro branch to fix the problem, though the supply was poor by the distribution company but the community has the assurance that we have a glim of power supply, after a while the problem persist all effort geared towards sustaining the supply of power by Iluke community prove abortive, it has escalated beyond the responsibility of the community. No agency, company or government at any level wants to take responsibility of restoring the light.
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) Ayetoro Gbede Office in their technical decision has for 2years and 8month cut off the supply to Iluke from Aiyegunle. AEDC Ayetoro Gbede Office has been persuaded with the reality to act cautiously to close to 3years cut off from the power but little or nothing has been done, story, story and story.
Iluke Youth Voice (IYOV) write to tell our story to the general public, soliciting for government intervention from Local, State to Federal level, well place individual, political office holder and authority concern to take the responsibility of turning the dark days to light. In order to help the people to derive the benefits for which such projects were meant to give.
A special clarion call to the good office of His Excellency, Alhaji Yahayo Bello the executive governor of kogi state by the entire Iluke Youth Voice (IYOV), though we are not ignorant of the privatilisation of the sector but with the new direction agenda ofHis Excellency can intervene and put all concern authority to work.
It will gladden our heart to see a productive next line of action.
The demand for electricity to have a strong, growing economy is too great to be simply offset by more conservation……… Spencer Abraham
Compiled by:
Omonijo Victor Kelvin
Coordinator, Iluke Youth Voice
Omonijo Victor Kelvin and members of Iluke Youth Voice
