Elsewedy lights up Lagos with transformers from Badagry

Monday, Feb 15, 2010

For 13 months running, residents of Opeyeleru, a suburb in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, have been without public power supply. A few weeks ago, the residents, frustrated and disappointed, were said to have resorted to prayers for divine intervention having waited more than a year without any positive action from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

CityFile findings showed that the residents’ journey to the “world of darkness” began in late 2008 when the only transformer that served their community blew up following which the officials of PHNC removed it for repairs at the expense of the people. A resident, Afolabi Olusegun, alleged that each household was made to pay N5,000 -amounting to several thousands of naira which was given to the officials of PHCN.

Sadly, more than a year after the residents taxed themselves to have the transformer repaired; nothing has changed as they have continued to live in darkness.

As at last week, the community’s association in the area which has taken upon itself the task of coordinating the contributions and liaising between the residents and officials of PHCN was said to have returned to demand from the people payment of another huge sum. This time around, the residents were told the faulty transformer had been repaired and money was required to bring it back for installation, a development many were said to be grumbling against as becoming extortionist in nature.

While the case of Opeyeleru is particularly pathetic because it has dragged on for too long without concrete hope, several areas within and outside the Lagos metropolis face similar challenges, with the residents taking up the responsibility of either buying second-hand imported transformer or repairing faulty transformers in order to, at least, share from the epileptic supply still being delivered by PHCN.

However, this ugly trend could give way to some positive developments following the recent deal between Elsewedy, an Egyptian electrical manufacturing firm, and Lagos State government leading to the establishment of a transformer manufacturing plant in Badagry. A visit to the factory showed that although work has not been fully completed, the company is already churning out transformers of various units, sizes and capacities. The unit capacities are 100, 500 and 1000 KVA. Late last year, the company delivered a total of 40 units to the state which was distributed free of charge to communities in need.

Special Adviser to Lagos State governor on commerce and industry, Olusola Oworu, during a visit to the factory said all was almost completed that would see the plant commissioned soon.

“The factory has started producing and they are just cleaning up the area. The aesthetics around the factory has been completed, what remains for them to complete is the administrative block of the factory, but in terms of what is meant to do, they are already started producing. I think, within a couple of weeks as they have promised they will be through with the administrative block and other things and the factory will be ready for commissioning by the state government. We are looking at next month by God’s grace,” Oworu said.

On why the state decided to go into transformer production, the special adviser said it was to address the problem of power transmission which is still a major challenge in the state so that the people of Lagos can truly enjoy the benefits of the Fashola administration.

On quality assurance, Oworu explained: “Elsewedy is a reputable company, they are well known in Egypt, they have other factories in Syria and Zambia. This is something they are well known for, so they have already created the reputation in the production of transformers, fibre cables and post. This is a partnership which we are confident will improve in other areas apart from transformers, so we are looking at fibre cables and post, meters.”

The production manager of the plant, Mohammed Gamal, who spoke with CityFile, said the company was coming from a long standing experience with factories in Syria, Zambia, Sudan and Egypt among other countries. “Our first transformer was produced in Sudan. We have factories in Zambia, Ethiopia, Syria and Egypt. We are putting plenty resources in Nigeria because Nigeria is the market to reach the other West African countries.

Source: Business Day Online