Landlords at Ofuobi Estate, Ameri Layout, Nkwelle-Ezunaka, Oyi Local Government Area, Anambra State defied weekly Monday sit-at-home order to protest epileptic power supply in the area.
The protesters who carried placards with varying inscriptions as “Emeka Offor, EEDC, Governor Soludo, Stakeholders, come to our rescue, we are being exploited,” alleged hijack of installation of electrical equipment by certain few individuals
Chairman of the association, Chief Peter Umeh said the residents had been denied power supply for over five years.
He said, “For five to six years we have been denied power supply because about four individuals sold the estate to us, and refused to allow us to develop the land.
“They have taken us to different courts, all in a bid to take charge of exploiting us by taking control of the electrification of the place and we said no that they have sold the land to us and have no business with the electrification and development.
“They are not even Indigenes of the community but have constantly been intimidating us, and today we decide to defy the sit-at-home order to protest the problems we are facing for Governor Charles Soludo, Emeka Offor and EEDC to come to our rescue.”
On his part, Vice chairman, Chief Ejiofor Ezuruonye, wondered why four people could hold the entire area to ransom.
“I have two buildings here but no light and that is why tenants refused to occupy the building. Some of us have even their plots of land sold off without their consent and we are crying for rescue,” he said.
Earlier, an elder and one of the original owners of the land, Chief James Okwudili frowned at the rate people were being exploited by some enemies of progress.
He pledged to support the protesters especially in ensuring that power is supplied to them.
Also speaking, Mr. Bathlommy Mba, said, “My plot and others’ plots were sold off. They don’t want us to develop our land but God will help us. Today is sit-at-home but we defy it to protest.nn
“When two of our members went to see them to allow us to develop and electrify the area, they were asked to put their complaint in writing and sign which they did, and the people used it to sue us that we have agreed that they should electrify and develop the land which is false”.
