….As BEDC Alleges Debt Of N7b By Communities
From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
An organized Edo People Against
The Oppressive Tendencies of BEDC, has given 14 days ultimatum to the management of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to improve on its electricity delivery and halt its over billing tendencies on the residents of the state or face mass unrest.
Coordinator of the group, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbidi gave the ultimatum while addressing journalists in Benin.
He said Edo State and beyond, several communities have been thrown into utter darkness ranging, between one to six months and in some cases years just because BEDC failed to take responsibility as distribution company to fix their issues.
Comrade Ogbidi said some other communities are compared to buying transformers, poles, and cables to fix their power issues while they are forced to write undertaken to donate the equipment to BEDC and also pay N10-N15 millions for the installations.
Ogbidi added that for years now, consumers in Edo state are responsible for the fixing and maintaining of their faulty transformers and equipment for BEDC.
He noted that they even task themselves per house in affected areas, while BEDC still come up to collect bill at the end of the month.
The coordinator maintained that BEDC has continued to enjoy the estimated billings they churn out for innocent consumers in the tune of thousands even when there is no light thereby extorting the people consistently adding that, they pay for light, and they give them darkness in return.
He pointed out that consequent upon the overbearing tendencies of the BEDC, they have resolved on the following: That BEDC should stop oppressing Edo people and wake up to its primary responsibility of effectively distribution of power to Edo people, That BEDC should as a matter of urgency restore communities in darkness back to national grid.
That BEDC must stop compelling communities to buy equipment and donate same to them before they are connected or issues fixed.
That BEDC must meter Edo people free of charge and publish beneficiaries of the meters for the purpose of accountability.
That NERC must wake up to its responsibilities and call BEDC to order and punish same in so many areas they have contravene the law.
That all Edo people be reversed to the normal billing structure irrespective of the bands BEDC are claiming.
He therefore called on the Edo state government, house of assembly, security agencies and other relevant stakeholders to prevail on BEDC on the subject matters.
Responding, the Head, Branding and Corporate Communications of BEDC, Mrs. Evelyn Gbiwen said it is the energy that they get, that they distribute and for the fact that the head office of the company is in Edo, residents of the state is considered more than every other franchise states.
She said it would not be fair enough if they are accusing the company of oppressing the customers in the state.
Gbiwen said all their communities are connected to the national grid and should there be any, they should inform the company for onward connection.
She noted that the company is in for business and not a charitable organization adding that some of the communities in the state are owing the company up to N7 billion.
