Army Debunks Report Of Soldiers Paying Levies For Water, Light, Other Exigencies In Ojo Barracks
LAGOS DECEMBER 11TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Amid the scarcity of water for use at the Ikeja Cantonment, soldiers have started levying themselves for an immediate solution.
The Nation gathered that the soldiers have suffered perennial water scarcity for over three years, no thanks to lack of power supply to pump water from the only borehole serving Blocks 1 to 3 at the Cantonment.
It was learnt that each of these blocks consists of 30 flats which means that the borehole was to serve 90 flats with only three hours of electricity for pumping of water daily.
Some of the soldiers who made an SOS appeal to our correspondent, said most times they trek for about a kilometre distance in search of water to no avail.
They lamented that it was mentally and physically draining for them to return from the day’s task only to go water hunting for long distances inside the barracks, but are rejected by those who have personal boreholes.
“This issue started about three years ago when the system started rationing light from 8 pm to 11 pm, they forgot that there are buildings sharing boreholes. A block consists of 30 flats and we have three blocks sharing one borehole which means 90 flats.
“Imagine light for three hours to pump water for use by 90 flats. If there was light for longer hours, more flats would at least have water for essentials and wait for the next pumping but that is not the case.
“Some will go to mosques, churches, and public borehole points to fetch water. Imagine a single man, after coming back from military duties still carrying jerry cans to look for water in one-kilometre distance inside the barracks,” said a source who pleaded anonymity.
Another soldier told our correspondent that lack of water has been the greatest challenge faced inside the barracks, lamenting that sometimes, they would trek as far as the Army Engineers’ Yard, but would be denied water by those who claimed to be working under instructions.
Another soldier told our correspondent that lack of water has been the greatest challenge faced inside the barracks, lamenting that sometimes, they would trek as far as the Army Engineers’ Yard, but would be denied water by those who claimed to be working under instructions.
“Water is as important as food. Imagine me fetching water, and climbing a staircase every day in this modern generation, after going a long distance. It’s exhausting.
“People have their personal boreholes in these barracks and some even sell water because of the situation. So, it is all these challenges that made us, the soldiers, start taxing ourselves to either buy a generator or drill a borehole.
“As soldiers, we do not earn much and so, we cannot afford to do both of them. We are using this opportunity to appeal to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, our General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division, and well-spirited individuals to come to our aid.
“Please help us drill boreholes, then, we can use the contributions to buy a generator to pump water,” he said.
At Ojo Cantonment, The Nation gathered that soldiers were bitter over a compulsory N200 per room compulsory levy being charged by the authority for light maintenance.
A Twitter account that focuses on military issues, @Militaryblower, who also raised alarm on the issue, wrote: “A big trouble is coming in Ojo Cantonment, Lagos. The Cantonment boss is charging N200 per room for light maintenance and any soldier that refuses to pay would have its block light disconnected. The boss says if they stopped paying, the light situation will be worse than Ikeja Cantonment.
“Another issue soldiers are complaining about is the security issue within the barracks, civilians now use inside the barracks as a passage to Ikotun, some will even park their cars in the barracks to pick them up later at night after closing hours.
“Everything is based on payment, there’s a specific amount of money civilians will drop before being allowed to park or pass through the barracks. The soldiers’ wives are planning to revolt and protest.”
Contacted, spokesman for the 81 Division, Lt.-Col Olaniyi Osoba, said the light issue was basically administrative, denying that the institution was levying soldiers.
“It is not true that the system is levying or forcing soldiers to make any payment. It could be that the soldiers decided among themselves to contribute to better the situation. But I can tell you it is completely untrue and false that they are being forced to pay any money.”
“Light issue at Ikeja Cantonment has been bad for two or three years now but the authorities have been trying to improve on it. You know that DISCOs are now majorly private organisations and are profit driven. The authority had even gone to them to see how the light can be improved but that is yet to happen.
“So, the authority is working on it and so far, the system has tried to provide more boreholes by ensuring that every new building inside the barracks has its own borehole,” he said.
Nationonline
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Posted by News Rangers
on Dec 12 2022. Filed under National.
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