Traders Appeal To Ikeja Distribution Company Over 9-month Power Disruption
The Mile 12 Traders Association in Lagos on Tuesday appealed to the Ikeja Distribution Company to restore electricity to the market after nine months of disruption.
The traders told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the situation was negatively affecting businesses in the area.
One of the market leaders, who pleaded anonymity, said that the power disruption had made businesses unprofitable and further impoverished the traders.
” The company disconnected electricity supply to the market from the transformer at Adebimpe Street in January on the grounds that the transformer was overloaded.
“They promised that an alternative transformer will be provided to the market, but up till now nothing has been done by the company.
“Many traders that relied on electricity to power their businesses were forced to take loans to buy generators as an alternative source of power.
“We are hearing about improvement in the electricity supply, but we have yet to benefit from the dividend of the change,” the leader said.
An official of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorised to speak, told NAN that the market was disconnected because of indebtedness to the company.
“We disconnected electricity to Mile 12 Market three months ago because of an outstanding debt of over N2 million.
“They laid complaints of over-billing because they did not have meters, but they were billed on estimated usage.
“We installed meters and did actual reading of their consumption which revealed that they were under-billed. When we showed them the bills, they agreed to pay the outstanding balance.”
He said that the payment plan was spread for the traders and they had paid N800, 000 out of the outstanding balance.
“As we speak, we are restoring electricity to a section of the market and the remaining two sections will be restored before the end of today”. (NAN)
courtesy: Leadership newspaper
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