By Matthew Tabe
Lagos residents and traders have continued to go through pains, as the twin woes of power outage and fuel scarcity persist for several weeks, crippling socio-economic activities in the state.
QUEST TIMES investigations reveal that some of the worst hit areas in power outage are: Ajah, Sango Ota, Lekki, Sango-tedo, Lakowe, Lagos Island, Ojota, Oshodi, Mushin, Ikeja, Iyana Ipaja, Isolo, among others.
Some of the residents who spoke to Quest Times on Saturday said that the outage had affected their means of livelihood.
According to them, the power failure has increased the cost of living within the past weeks and appealed to the state government to come to their rescue and ensure electricity was restored to their communities.
Mr. Olatunji Alada, a Barber, said that the situation was becoming unbearable as he is considering shutting down his shop.
He said, “When the power failure started I was buying fuel at the rate of N2,500 daily to render service to my customers but now the fuel is not even available.”
He lamented that he is married with three kids and life is becoming unbearable for him.
Also, Mr. Enhindero John, a Civil Servant, alleged that some suspected hoodlums had taken advantage of the power outage to attack some residents and cart away their belonging in his area in Ajah.
Mrs. Monisola Kunle, a fozen foods seller, said she has lost chicken and turkey worth millions of Naira as a result of the blackout.
She is soliciting for assistance from stakeholders and Government to provide lasting solutions to the blackout.
A hairdresser, Mrs Anu Abdulsalam, said that hair work has been reduced to only weaving and braiding since the power outage.
“I can no longer wash my customers’ hair because I don’t have a generator and there is no light.
“The only thing I do now is `weaves and braids’ which is not constant except when schools resume and I make children’s hair during weekends.
“It is really frustrating, we feel neglected, and it is not good,” she said.
Mr Ayowale Adeloye, a shoemaker said: “there is a level you get to when making a shoe, you need light because you have to file them into shape.
“Lack of electricity for the past month has really affected my production; some of my customers are feeling disappointed in me.
“It is not my fault, we need help urgently, it is becoming unbearable, and we want government to look into our plight,” Adeloye said.
