The residents of Aruogba, a community in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State, have made a passionate appeal to Governor Monday Okpebholo for urgent intervention in resolving persistent electricity challenges that have plagued the area for years.
Speaking on behalf of the Landlord Association, Mr. Kingsley Ogbeide, the group’s secretary, highlighted the dire situation during an interview in Benin City.
He explained that the community has been grappling with frequent power outages due to an aging and underperforming 300KV transformer, which is no longer capable of meeting the energy demands of households and small businesses.
The faulty transformer, located near St. Andrew’s Catholic Church along the community’s access road, has become a source of frustration for residents, many of whom have contributed nearly ₦2 million in a bid to resolve the issue.
However, Ogbeide noted that the total cost of acquiring and installing a new, higher-capacity transformer is estimated at between ₦12 million and ₦13 million—leaving a funding gap of over ₦10 million.
“We’ve done what we can as a community, but the financial burden is too heavy for residents alone,” Ogbeide said. “We are now appealing to the current administration under Senator Monday Okpebholo to assist us in restoring reliable electricity to our homes and businesses.”
He recalled that a similar request was made to the previous government led by Governor Godwin Obaseki, but no action was taken. The ongoing power crisis, Ogbeide stressed, has disrupted daily life, hindered economic activities, and created a harsh living environment for families in the area.
Despite the challenges, Ogbeide acknowledged the state government’s broader efforts to improve electricity access through its rural electrification programme.
He commended initiatives aimed at expanding grid connections, improving metering accuracy, and curbing infrastructure vandalism.
He emphasized that replacing the outdated transformer with a modern unit would be the most practical and sustainable solution to meet the community’s energy needs. The Landlord Association also expressed its readiness to collaborate with the government to explore funding options and technical support for the upgrade.
“This is not just about power—it’s about dignity, productivity, and quality of life,” Ogbeide added. “We believe that with government support, we can resolve this issue once and for all and prevent future disruptions.”
As Aruogba awaits a response, the community remains hopeful that its appeal will be met with swift and meaningful action to restore power and improve living conditions.
