Ibadan: Odo-Ona residents raise alarm over weak electric poles

RESIDENTS of Odo-Ona community, especially those of Ile-Epo, Araromi, Akako, Olugbode, and Eyin-Moore area, all along Apata-Ganga road in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area of Oyo State, have raised the alarm over some high tension cables that have descended to the roof level at the communities, especially Ile-Epo area of the community, saying it poses a serious danger to lives and properties.The people of the area also told Community News to help them inform the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in charge of Odo-Ona and Apata communities to come and repair some damaged electric poles that were about to kiss the ground in the area, stressing that they would not want to die of electrocution before repair works were done.When Community News visited Ile-Epo area of Odo-Ona to verify the complaints of the people, some electric cables attached to wooden poles were angling near the roof top of some shops and houses around the transformer at Ile-Epo area.A shop owner in the area, Mr Tunji Olubayo, explained that, 'actually, we know that our lives are in serious danger, but there is nothing we can do, afterall, PHCN officials often come to this area to carry out repair work on the transformer anytime it has fault. It is their duty to make sure that the electric poles that are about to fall are put back in rightful position, so what are they doing to rectify this problem' Is it when wahala happened that they would do something about it',' he asked.A shoe repairer in the area; Mr Jide said, 'we have complained about the impending danger which the about-to-fall electrical poles posed to our lives and properties. In fact, we told PHCN officials whenever they come to our area to distribute monthly electricity bills to tell their engineers in their maintenance department to come and rectify the problem, but we have not seen any positive response from the PHCN in the zone since,' he stated.Another resident of Araromi, Mrs Sola Meshioye, said, 'I pity the African Church, the primary school pupils, as well as traders at Ile-Epo But Stop where about five electric poles carrying high tension cables are located. These poles are about to touch the ground, they are bent to the extent that the cables on them are almost touching the roof of shops and houses in the area. So would PHCN authorities wait till there is an electrocution in the community before they repair the poles',' she lamented.One of the attendants in one of the petrol stations around the area told Community News that his heart was always in his mouth whenever he was selling fuel to customers, stressing that any spark from the descending electric cables anytime may cause an explosion which may spell doom for houses and shops in the area.He, however, appealed to the PHCN in charge of the area to carry out repair work on the about-to-fall electrical poles.
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