Welcome to Our Live Blog of power supply in this Niger delta

Sitting in our little 2 bedroom flat, listening to the thrum of the generator, Mr and Mrs Okada decided to give a live account of power improvements (and declines) in our neighbourhood.

We have been inspired by the sight of 3 successive Presidents promising us more electricity. This time we intend to help by providing live data from the field. We'll innovate, gyrate, and create. Soon we hope (with your assistance) will be a luck-o meter where we can measure how much things have really improved.

Its a survey of one, but we hope you'll share your stories, that NEPA will bring light and that laughter will at least abound.

If you really like the look of this little diary you may want to try reading from the bottom to the top.

(we still haven't figured out how to get blogger to keep our first entries at the top of the page and let you read through from the beginning )
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Wednesday, 16 March 2011

NEPA bring their bills

Its been a long observed coincidence in our area that power supply follows a slightly chaotic pattern.

As we get closer to the 15th of each month we get a little more light than usual.

Then the NEPA bill arrives.

A week or so later disconnections follow for those who have not paid [or bribed someone to stay away]

A few days of much better light - to punish those who are disconnected and encourage them to cough up

Then back to darkness or a few meagre hours of light

After some ups and downs we seem to be firmly back to this pattern.

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So yesterday the NEPA guy came around with the monthly bill

Mrs Okada was at home

And she spoke to the unlucky young man rather harshly.

I think he ran away about 5 minutes into the lecture on their corporate performance.

The NePA people are already a bit afraid of her after her previous sessions of pursuing their stupid billing errors as far as management in their regional offices (also now a bit afraid of Mrs Okada) and this has probably reinforced her reputation.

Pity for NEPA staff that madam is just starting on several months maternity leave.

I think they will be treading lightly as they pass our house.

Sunday, 6 March 2011

After a long absence

So we've done that thing of abandoning a blog because other more important things came up.

Every day.

For about 8 months.

Truth is we are bad bloggers and we repent (good that its a Sunday morning !)

There has been some NEPA over these months, quite a bit of darkness and some solar powered
light at the end of the tunnel.

Anyway we are back and Mr and Mrs NEPA Consumer promise to be better.