The Management of a radio station, Oodua 90.9 FM, at Ajebandele area of Ile Ife, Osun state has argued that it made several complaints to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) about faults it detected but nothing was done to rectify it before the Ooni Layout fire incident.
While reacting to the claim made by IBEDC that no official complaints was made regarding electric faults in the area, the General Manager of Oodua FM, Mr. Babs Daramola, in a statement he made available to Amiloaded, debunked the electricity provider’s claim insisting that he personally wrote the company about faults in the area but IBEDC was lackadaisical and nonchalant.
Oodua FM is among many houses affected by the power surge of Sunday 13th May, in which several equipment and electrical appliances were razed. Many prepaid meters belonging to customers residing in the Ooni Layout, Ibadan road, also went up in flames.
The affected residents had petitioned the electrical company, claiming compensation for the damage arising from the high voltage.
In a statement by the IBEDC, it claimed that the fire incident was as a result of faults not reported to the officials of the company by the residents, saying the fire incident would have been prevented if fault noticed on the lines in the area by the residents had been reported.
But Daramola refuted IBEDC’s claim and said it was not only surprised but highly disappointed that the IBEDC could shy away from its own responsibilities by claiming that faults were not reported to it by its customers in the area.
Mr Daramola said no fewer than three letters were sent from his own office to the electrical company, duly informing it of high voltage to the station.
“Within the last few months, we have written no fewer than three strongly worded letters to the IBEDC to complain of high voltage to our station, pleading with them to come and rectify the fault. And every instance, receipt of our letters were duly acknowledged by the authorities. This is in spite of several telephone calls made to them.” Daramola said.
The Oodua FM General Manager said in all the instances, IBEDC officials never came to rectify the fault, even despite stating in the letters that the station’s equipment were badly affected.
Daramola described as unfortunate IBEDC’s shifting of blame over what happened on Sunday, saying the company should own up to its own responsibilities. “IBEDC should stop this buck- passing and own up to its responsibilities. We have ample evidence that faults had been reported. They were simply lackadaisical and nonchalant about our complaints.”
The General Manager stated that the power surge of last Sunday wrecked untold havoc on the station destroying its entire transmission equipment and disrupting the station’s operations for days. He explained that the management of the radio station had already written a letter to the IBEDC requesting compensation for expenses which the station incured as a result of the damage, which is estimated at over N11m.
He stated the station would have no choice than to seek redress in the court of law if the electrical company fails to take responsibility for its own inactions.
Daramola urged the authorities of IBEDC to live up to its responsibilities and stop playing games with the lives of its customers.
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