Community news

*Nine years electricity blackout: Gbonyin youth cries out*

By Johnson Aderopo, Olamide Akinwumi

The youth in Gbonyin  Local government area of Ekiti state, has expressed worried over nine years of epileptic power supply in the local government.

The youths in the communique stetement issued on Wednesday, 7th of July 2021, cried out for immediate intervention from the state government.

According to the Coordinator Nigeria Youth council Gbonyin local government chapter, Mr. Fajembola Oluwaseun
"It's exactly nine years now since the local government had power supply from the national grid.
"I think it's high time our elders, Kings and stakeholders meet to deliberate on what to do in order to light up our towns"

He added that, "the effect of power outrage on our youth and students has forced migration of our youths and students outside the local government area which has in many ways affected the socio-economic development of the towns.
"the lack of electricity has led to poor academic performance of our youths and students because it's difficult for them to access educational materials on-line".

He further stated the disadvantages of not having effective power supply in the local government area.

He said, "socioeconomic development of our towns too has been affected because of the inability of our people to partake in the wealth that abounds in e-commerce. In today's global economy, anyone can trade from any corner of the globe with others in other parts of the planet via electronic commerce (e-commerce).

"Men of the underworld take advantage of the power outage to commit all forms of crimes ranging from burglary to rape and kidnapping".

However,  Fajembola, laments on the economic hardship the blackout have cause to the youths in the region.
According to him, "hard learned income of our youths and even parents are spent on purchase of fossil fuel to power generators and this has to stop.

"Most of our youths have been through thick and thin as regards electronic registration and related matters and  we don't have any ICT Centre in Gbonyin because of power outage, our students and youth cannot engage in online learning and seminars due to the power outage and this has led to redundancy and poor intellectual development amongst our students and youths".

However, Mr. Fajembola, appeal to the state government led by His excellence, Governor John Olukayode Fayemi, to come to their rescue in the region.