- The Lagos State House of Assembly has intervened in the Royal Gardens Estate dispute with EKEDC over bulk metering, which led to the estate’s disconnection since May 2024.
- The Assembly’s Committee on Housing has summoned stakeholders to a September 23 meeting to resolve the electricity and governance crises fueling tensions in the estate.
The Lagos State House of Assembly has intervened in the ongoing dispute between residents of Royal Gardens Estate, Ajah, and the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC).
The Assembly acted after the Royal Gardens Estate Residents’ Association (RGERA) petitioned against EKEDC’s disconnection of the community from the national grid on May 26, 2024. The blackout compelled residents to depend on diesel generators and solar power alternatives.
Meanwhile, the dispute centres on a bulk metering arrangement that bills the entire estate collectively. Residents argue that the arrangement contravenes the Electricity Act 2023 and denies individuals the right to reconcile their electricity payments directly with EKEDC.
While EKEDC has expressed willingness to migrate residents to direct metering, the estate’s developer, Trojan Estates, has opposed the transition. Residents accuse the developer of manipulation, abuse of authority, and obstruction of democratic governance within the estate.
The residents further alleged that Trojan Estates imposed indiscriminate service charges, disconnected power despite valid payments, and failed to provide proper sanitation management, thereby worsening tensions in the community.
To resolve the matter, the Assembly’s Committee on Housing has summoned representatives of RGERA to a meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 23, at the Assembly Complex in Alausa, Ikeja. A letter signed by the Clerk of the House, B. Onafeko, confirmed that the session will bring together all parties for deliberations on the electricity and governance disputes.