Other organizations like the Ajegunle Peoples’ Movement (APM) under the aegis of Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM), Iyalode Electricity Community Development Association and others; also actively participated in the mass sensitization rally to leafleting people about the crazy billing Eko Distribution Company dredge residents of Ajegunle to anger.
Beside organizations, community leaders, activists, pastors, Imam, women and representatives from streets/area like: Nosamu, Bale, Uzor, Durojaiye, Olowojeunjeje, Tesi, Orodu, Mba, Tolu, Anosike etc. were all mobilise together as Joint Force to launch this campaign for the mass to consciously begin to defend their electricity rights against exploitation by the electricity company: EKEDC. More than 21 streets were represented and fully participated in the rally that cut across the Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area.
The AJEGUNLE STAND UP AGAINST DARKNESS banner of the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) and Ajeromi Ifelodun United Interest for Justice Banner were both respectively displayed when the sensitization was going on. From the kick off venue down to the various communities in Ajegunle the sensitization rally was able to cloud itself. The reaction of people was that the crazy bill is exorbitant.
That government should address it by taking the power industry back from the private companies. In fact, at the rally ground in Olodi-Apapa, some of the youth, women who supported the need for no payment for darkness, saying time to stop crazy bill is over. Members of DSM who took part in the rally both in planning and organizing before the launched sensitization rally engage; people in discussion with the Socialist Bulletin on the fundamental issues that revolve around the power sector and the alternative against privatization: socialism.
For the streets/area covered, people were advice to desist from violence and attack of the electricity workers, but to peacefully stop disconnection in the community with an organize demonstration. The need for democratic elected working street action committee was proposed in the various areas covered to be the vanguard of organizing residents in the community to resist disconnection and reject crazy bills.
More than seven thousand leaflets issued by Ajeromi Ifelodun United Interest for Justice (AIUIJ) and supported by Ajegunle Peoples’ Movement (APM) were circulated in the day of the rally. Copies of the SD were sold. However, leaders of the front constituting different community in the leadership, intend to intensify the campaign and further plan strategize that will deepen the campaign and possibly incorporate more organizations in the coming period to sensitize people more on the issue of demand for free Prepaid Metre.
In fact, as part of the sensitization strategy, it plan to ground the whole communities in Ajegunle, and advice people to seize the opportunity of holding regular mass meetings and also have elected action committee to organized peaceful resistance whenever Eko Electricity staff comes for disconnection. Also, they shouldn’t be allowed to be disconnected from the transformer, which has been the strategy of the private company used in putting streets/areas/communities that resist disconnection in darkness.
Fundamentally, members of Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) who were able to engage people while in the sensitization rally said that Prepaid Metre is the only option for now that can possibly checkmate crazy bill issued by Eko Electricity Distribution Company drilling people and supplying darkness. But also made it clear while approaches people with the SDs saying that privatization is the overall problem responsible to this crisis.
However, the fundamental point was equally arrowed that the only way forward to break the chain is for the nationalization of the power sector under the democratic control and management by electricity workers and the consumers. Without this, these private companies will continue to rake billions of naira through crazy bill as is currently going on from the mass.
DSM implore people in their various communities to begin to organize themselves as Action/Defense Working Committee to resist disconnection and demand for free Prepaid Metre to be install in every household in their community. Without coming out to fight with pro-mass program, this will continue, which virtually in Ajegunle in the day of the sensitization rally people are already agitated about this whole thing of crazy bill.
DSM on its part also uses this medium, recognizing the role of the mass in different communities rejecting crazy bill since the privatization of the power sector in November 1, 2013. We call on the labour leaders of both Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and United Labour Congress (ULC) to reunite it forces and declare a day of action, in addition of leaflets: stating all the demands that are socialist and massively oriented in nature and what people should do in their community; rallies, banners, demonstration for the power industry to be nationalized under workers control and management, because privatization has failed.
For us in DSM, this will be a huge step ahead in augmenting politically the ongoing pocket of electricity struggles and campaign largely breaking itself like Black-hole into the area resisting crazy bill, calling for government to take-back the industry, total reversal of electricity tariff, end to privatization and casualization of workers in the power sector etc is inevitable for the labour leaders to declare in this time the Nigerians mass are demanding for. For further reading about slum stories, news, articles visit: http://www.lifeinslum.blogspot.com.
By
Fidel Davy
LIFEINSLUM PHOTOS
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