By Abdulah Olawale
Efforts of the Lagos State Citizens’ Mediation Centre (CMC) have laid to rest the crisis between the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, IKEDC and residents of Lasori Abuja/Ifedapo Estate Community in Ikorodu who had poised for a showdown with the power distribution company.
Residents of the community according to information have determined not to pay the power company over alleged outrageous billing system, which led to the decision by the company to cut the main power supplying the entire community.
The residents have petitioned the CMC, operating under the state Ministry of Justice, accusing the IKEDC of refusing to abide with the decision of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, mandating it to provide prepaid meters for consumers as the authorised billing system as at February 2020.
But for the quick intervention of the CMC, the prevailing bottled anger between the two parties would have led to a public unrest.
In its mediation process, the CMC rallied the parties to agree with the following conditions which resolved the dispute.
It was agreed that the IKEDC shall immediately provide cluster prepaid metering for the community.
The parties agreed that the issue of outrageous billing shall be address pending the provision of cluster metering by IKEDC.
It was also resolved that the power supply to the community shall be restored immediately, while both parties shall maintain peace.
The residents, who were full of joy for the resolution of the dispute, appreciated the leadership style of the present administration under Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu as well as the efforts of the CMC team.
