With many of years of blackout and lingering tussle by Isheri, Akessan, Obadure and environs of Igando-Ikotun LCDA to look for alternative power generation for their communities, the end seem to be at sight as the Nigeria Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC) holds community consultations and assessment of the communities on Friday September 15, 2017 at the Multi-purpose hall of Igando-Ikotun LCDA, the exercise is one the last stages before approval for an alternative power generation.
It will be recalled that these affected communities recently led a protest to the office of IKEDC on the suspicion of their communities been disconnected from the national grid as they have witnessed months of power outage, during the protest; a copy of their letter was sent to the office of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The communities had in August sent her members to Abuja for a meeting with NERC which is the result of this assessment visit by the commission. Members of the communities who spoke to our correspondence said they are optimistic that the commission will mandate Ikeja Electric to hands off from the distribution of power to their communities after the assessment as they were convinced that it will be an opportunity to see the high degree of neglect and recklessness of the disco and the untold hardship the communities have been subjected to for years.
Speaking to our correspondent the managing partner of Andrew Idowu & Co the company partnering with the communities for the embedded power project confirm to us that the meeting is for the regulation body to have their first-hand assessment of the entire communities. He also confirmed to us that NERC is currently working on the new guideline of Eligible Customer Regulation the regulation that empowers consumers to choose their preferred DISCO.
He noted that the new guideline is currently been crusaded by the commission through the six geo-political zones of the country with Lagos State hosting that of the South West.