A coalition of Yoruba groups on the aegis of Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movements (AYDM) has commended Lagos state government’s decision to officially grant electricity distribution licenses to two new distribution companies.
The coalition which comprises 130 pan Yoruba groups commended the Lagos state governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo- Olu and his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, for the unique initiative.
The pan Yoruba groups described the Lagos initiative as the most important public interest decision in Lagos since 1999.
The coalition in a statement released after its executive council meeting Monday, signed by Popoola Ajayi and Chief Kunle Oshodi, said the decision of the Lagos state government on the new licenses represent a ‘radical departure from’ gross corporate irresponsibility to a new frontier in the search for energy stability in Lagos state with far reaching implication on the South west and Nigeria. The coalition said Sanwo-Olu and his team have written their names in history.
AYDM said it was not enough to register new DisCos but that the state and federal government should probe the owners of DisCos for their crime against the people.
The group said it will team up with other civil society organisations to push for sanctioning of the managers of the DisCos by the international community by documenting their crimes, saying that many people have died due to the activities of DisCos in Lagos, either in hospitals due to abrupt disconnection or through power surges that have led to the burning of many buildings, where people lost their lives and property or through target attacks on property of energy users.
AYDM said the DisCos were worse than their National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), their predecessors.
‘Lagos and the people of the South- west are praying for the government of Lagos state for this bold step. The people have been subjected to the most horrendous crimes inflicted on innocent energy users by existing DisCos who lack human conscience and driven only by primitive and ungodly accumulation of wealth.
