By Giwa SHILE
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), on Friday held a peaceful protest in Epe Local Government Secretariat over perennial blackout in the community.
Idris Odufuwa, the Assistant Secretary General, NANS, Southwest (Epe Branch), led the protesters to the secretariat.
He said that the protest became imperative following months of official communication with the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) on the issue of blackout in the community.
“The blackout is having adverse effects on the academic activities in the four higher institutions and other economic activities in the community,’’ Odufuwa said.
He mentioned the affected institutions as: Lagos State University, Epe campus; Michael Otedola College of Primary Education (MOCOPED); Yaba College of Technology, Epe campus; and St. Augustine University.
According to him, NANS has officially written to Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company concerning the blackout but we have not seen any positive result since the past few months.
The student leader called on community leaders and well-meaning individuals in the community to rise up in defense of the common man who could not afford generators and other alternative power sources.
The students were received by the Chairman, Epe Local Government, Mr Adedoyin Adesanya; the Supervisor for Agriculture, Mr Tunde Odupe; and the Senior Administrative Officer, Mr Ibrahim Oyase.
Adesanya appreciated the students for embarking on the peaceful protest without violence.
He urged them not to resort to violence in pressing home their demands.
Adesanya said that as the chairman of the affected community, he had taken some bold and official steps to address the situation.
The chairman promised to do more, saying that he would officially open a platform of communication and dialogue between the youth and the PHCN to ensure the issue is resolved as soon as possible.
