Power outage hits Lagos Govt. Secretariat

…no water, conveniences oozing fetid smell

Awful and nauseating smell has taken over the seat of power in Lagos State, the Secretariat at Alausa, Ikeja, following a power outage at the facility since last week.

As result of a breakdown of the facility’s off-national grid independent power supply provided by the administration of Gov. Babatunde Fashola, pumping of water for the conveniences in the multi-storey jungle of buildings has become a near impossible task.

Defecating and other nature-induced activities could not done any longer as the heaps of human waste in some of the toilets had not been pushed into the sewage

The outage has also forced some civil servants out of their offices to take temporary shelter under the trees particularly in the afternoons.

Persecondnews leant that visitors and workers, who could not use the conveniences had resorted to using the ones at the nearby expansive mall housing Shoprite and other stores under the guise of shopping.

A female staff said she has been using the conveniences at nearby banks, National Identity Management System office, Civil Defence and others.

“It is quite embarrassing. You cannot even charge your phones or enjoy fans or air conditioners.

“This thing started more than one week and no explanation from the authorities,’’ she said.

A man, who also would not want to be identified, said:“Only those who have cars that can bring water from home in jerry cans use the conveniences in their offices that are usually locked.’’

The Head of Service, Mr Hakeem Muri-okunola, whose office is domiciled within the facility, could not be reached for his comment, but an official in his office said on Wednesday he was “unavailable’’.