Ambode replaces 58-year-old transformer in palmgrove

Akinwunmi Ambode has donated a 500KVA transformer to residents of Palmgrove Estate in Odi-Olowo Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area (LCDA) as part of the ongoing ‘Light Up Lagos’ initiative.

He also donated transformers to two communities in Alapere and Ijegun to boost electricity supply in those areas.

Ambode, represented at the presentation by Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources Wale Oluwo, said he read about the residents’ plight in a newspaper in which they appealed to Ikeja Electric to replace their aging transformers.

The transformer at Palmgrove Estate, according to the residents, was installed in 1958 and became problematic about 10 years ago, making it prone to fault weekly.

Oluwo said Ambode’s gesture is to alleviate the people’s suffering.

He said: “This is part of the Light up Lagos Project. The Project is not all about street lights alone. In fact, street light is a small component of the project. It will be interesting to note that the governor read about the residents’ plight yesterday (Friday) in the papers and we are dropping the transformer today (Saturday) here and in two other locations.”

Responding, President of Palmgrove Estate Residents Association, Captain Jide George said the governor’s response to their plight should be emulated by other leaders, describing it as an eloquent testimony of leadership by example.

“This is very much unprecedented. I never believed that such a thing could happen where you will just put something in the papers and the governor will respond to it expeditiously. All of us are behind him and we want to say thank you to the governor,” George said.

Two other senior residents of the Estate, Dr Ladi Awosika and Mr Akintunde Adeyinka said the remarkable way with which the governor responded to their plight was a confirmation of the fact that Lagos State is in safe hands.