AJEGUNLE RESIDENTS HOLD MASS MEETING ON POOR POWER SUPPLY AND ESTIMATED BILLS
AJEGUNLE RESIDENTS HOLD MASS MEETING ON POOR POWER SUPPLY AND ESTIMATED BILLS
Fix a Mass Protest Rally for June 4 2015
By DSM Reporters
A cross section of the residents – photo DSM
On Tuesday May 26, 2015 about 200 residents of Layinka Street, Arumoh Street, Jibowu Street, Sani Close, Kojo Lane, Amechi Street, Akali Lane, Etugbo Lane, Olatoye Close, Bara Street, etc gathered at the Nawair-ud-deen Primary School, NUD, Primary Arumoh Ajegunle Apapa, Lagos for a mass meeting of the community on the poor power supply and exploitation of consumers with estimated billing by Eko electricity distribution company (EKEDC).
The initiative and mobilization for the meeting was spearheaded by members of Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) together with other groups in the community. The slogans of “NO, LIGHT; NO PAYMENT!” and “NO PAYMENT; NO DISCONNECTION!” gained massive echo in the community and at the meeting.
Daggar Tolar addressing the meeting – photo DSM
Dagga Tolar, a member of DSM National Executive Committee (NEC) who led the discussion at the mass meeting, traced the current appalling electricity situation in the community as well as in entire country to the privatization of the power sector. According to him the private firms simply prioritize making profit at the expense of the consumers without adequate and quality service delivery. Besides, the private firms do not have requisite resources to turn around the power sector as it requires massive investment. This explains why the government had to grant them a bail-out just about a year after they bought the defunct PHCN at giveaway price. Therefore, he called for the renationalization of the power sector (i.e. to be taken back by government). However, to avoid the debacle of the defunct NEPA and PHCN when there was nothing fundamental to show for huge public spending on the power sector, he argued that the renationalized power sector must be placed under a democratic control of workers and consumers. He said this only what can guarantee stable power supply that is affordable to the masses.
Another cross section of residents at the mass meeting – photo DSM
Many of the speakers who came after Dagga collaborated and agreed with his argument and position.
This meeting fixed a mass protest rally from the community to Apapa office of EKEDC for Thursday June 4, 2015. The meeting also agreed on slogans and identified materials like banner, leaflet and PAS that will be needed for the rally. The sum of six thousand and ninety naira, N6090, was raised to support the June 4 protest rally at the meeting. The organizing committee is expected to reach to more people in the community to raise more money in order to produce and procure the materials.
Dagga Tolar addressing the meeting – photo DSM
As part of the preparation activities, about 50 residents and activists including members of DSM moved round many streets in Ajegunle on Saturday May 30, 2015 to mobilise mass support for the NO LIGHT; NO PAYMENT CAMPAIGN and the June 4 mass protest rally.