Kwara community in darkness for 5 years Sulaiman said many of their brilliant and active artisans and other selfemployed youths whose jobs required electricity, had left Aawe for greener pastures elsewhere in the state or outside
Aawe, a thriving community in Asa Local Government Area of Kwara state, has been in total darkness for more than five years as a result of power failure.
A investigation found that this has led to collapse of business activities in the community.
Speaking to our Correspondent, who visited the community, the District Head of Aawe, Alhaji Oba DauduSulaiman, decried the situation which he said was causing untold hardship on the community.
“Since rainstorm damaged several electrical poles and cables in the area over five years ago, life had become unbearable for the residents. The power outage has crippled social and economic activities of the inhabitants of the area.”
Sulaiman said many of their brilliant and active artisans and other self-employed youths whose jobs required electricity, road, saying that waste due to lack of patronage vandalisation of power cables had left Aawe for greener hindered smooth following poor state of our road.’’ supplying the area by suspected pastures elsewhere in the state or Aawe Market. I can tell you that this spells hudlums. outside. “We are locals and majority doom for food production in the “It is true that the community
“The five-year total darkness of my subjects are farmers with state and I am not happy about had been in darkness for in Aawe axis has seriously the poor state of our roads, it the situation so also my subjects,” over five years and suspected affected the socio-economic has become difficult for people the district head lamented. hoodlums and armed robbers lives of the people and made life to patronise us especially during The district head called on carted away cables meant for the unbearable. The only primary our market days that usually the Kwara state government to repair of electrical infrastructure school in Aawe has become attract people from different urgently find a lasting solution to damaged by rainstorm in 2014. dilapidated and I attribute this parts of the state. the power outage. “But the issue will be address development largely to the lack “My people are discouraged Reacting to the complaints, soon as I have spoken with of power supply,” he said and tired of the situation. How member representing OwodeOnire authority concerned to take
Apart from the issue of over can one explain the situation constituency in the state necessary steps and make sure five years power outage, the where you work tirelessly,on House of Assembly, Alhaji that power is restored back into district head also decried the the farm at the end of the day Abdullahi Taiwo, said the the community soon,” Taiwo poor state of Ojugbede-Aawe you watch your harvest goes to power outage was as a result of said. The district head called on the Kwara state government to
urgently find a lasting solution to the power outage. Reacting to the complaints, member representing Owode-Onire constituency in the state House of Assembly, Alhaji Abdullahi Taiwo, said the power outage was as a result of vandalisation of
power cables supplying the area by suspected hudlums
The Regional Communications Manager for the lbadan Electricity Distribution Company (lBEDC), Mr Asaju Kolawole when contacted said the company was not aware that Aawe community had been in darkness for over five years.
“I am surprised to hear that because it has never come our notice. I can tell you that we are just hearing about the situation and we are going to swing to action to rectify the problem as soon as possible.
“I sympathised with Aawe residents because I can understand what it feels like to be in such situation for that long and I promise we are going to visit the community for an on-the-spot assessment, with a view to restoring power supply immediately,” Kolawole said.