Surulere Residents Issue 48-Hour Ultimatum as EKEDC Demands Payment for Gas, Cites Supply Challenges
Tension is mounting in the Sanya area of Orile in Lagos following a protest by residents of Surulere and Coker-Aguda over persistent poor electricity supply, with the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) allegedly attributing the situation to inadequate gas allocation.
The peaceful protest, which took place on Monday at the EKEDC Sanya Zone office in the Orile District, drew attention to what community members described as an unacceptable attempt to shift operational costs to consumers.
Residents of Surulere and Coker-Aguda, under the umbrella of Surulere United, led the protest, expressing strong dissatisfaction with the continued epileptic power supply in the area.
According to the protesters, officials of the distribution company indicated that low gas supply was responsible for the erratic power situation, a claim residents say is being used to justify a demand for the community to bear part of the cost of gas needed for electricity generation.
The residents, however, rejected the position, insisting that consumers already meet their obligations through regular electricity payments and should not be burdened with additional costs tied to power generation inputs.
“We consider this stance unacceptable. It is not the responsibility of residents to fund gas supply. Our duty is to pay for electricity consumed, which we have been doing,” a representative of Surulere United stated during the protest.
Following the demonstration, the group issued a 48-hour ultimatum to EKEDC, demanding immediate and sustained improvement in electricity supply across Surulere and Coker-Aguda communities.
They warned that failure to meet their demands would result in an escalation of actions, including a large-scale protest aimed at picketing and possibly shutting down the facility.
Residents also noted that the land on which the EKEDC Sanya Zone office is situated was provided by the host community, stressing that such a contribution should be reciprocated with reliable service delivery.
As of press time, EKEDC has not issued an official response to the ultimatum.
Meanwhile, Surulere United disclosed that preparations are underway for a major protest scheduled to commence on Thursday if the situation remains unresolved.
