Revoke BEDC operating license –Consumers

From Fatima Muraina,  Jimoh Ahmed, Sade Adewale, Biyi Akinnodi & Saheed Ibrahim
|
Electricity consumers and stakeholders in Ondo State have again restated their call for the revocation of the operating license of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC.

The consumers attributed their calls to the epileptic power supply in many communities and total blackout in several parts of the state.

Across the state’s three Senatorial Districts, residents who spoke with The Hope called for the withdrawal of the operating license of BEDC.

They hinged their reasons on the epileptic power supply and the outrageous bills they are being forced to pay even when they have not used same.

According to them, electricity consumers are being fleeced every month and forced to pay for darkness.

Speaking with our reporter, a cleric, Reverend Canon Isaac Awowole of Saint John’s Anglican, Oyin Akoko in Akoko North West Local Government of Ondo State said the power distribution company has only succeeded in adding to the plight of the ordinary man.

Awowole stated that allowing BEDC to be in charge of electricity in its region of coverage is like continuing to put the people in bondage.

The cleric said apart from putting the people in perpetual darkness, the company has continued to defraud them by forcing them to pay for what they have not used.

He therefore called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other relevant financial crime agencies to investigate the activities of the company and make it pay back whatever it has taken and does not belong to it.

Rating the services of BEDC as very terrible, Canon Awowole said that many artisans who relied on electricity for their operations are now becoming idle and had left their jobs.

Pastor Idowu Adebayo who is the president of Owo Unity Group, said the activities and services of BEDC were nothing to write home about.

According to him, the power distribution company has failed the people, since they have added to the woes of the people instead of ameliorating them.

According to him, electricity consumers in Ondo, Ekiti, Edo and Delta states only enjoy electricity for two days in every week but are charged outrageous bills every month.

“Consumers only enjoy electricity for two days in a week and at the end of the month they bring bills of N10,000, N20,000 and up to N35, 000.00”.

He therefore said that to allow BEDC continue to operate is like asking the people to continue to pay for living in darkness.

The Hope visited some communities in Akure to assess the electricity supply situation in each of the communities.

It was gathered that many communities in Akure only have power supply for three hours in a day and many times, there may not be power supply for 48 hours.

Speaking with The Hope, Chairman Landlords’ Association, Oluwadare 2, Mr Akindolu Ebenezer told our correspondent that there has not been any power supply in his community and 18 others for over a year and despite series of letters and meetings with the officials of BEDC and other stakeholders in the power sector, saying nothing had been done except empty promises.

According to him, despite the fact that residents of the community contributed money to procure a transformer by themselves after providing wires and poles within the community, they called upon BEDC for installation, the outfit had not yielded that request.

“Procurement of transformer is not the responsibility of a community. All the poles and wires were done by the community but immediately we did it, BEDC will come and start giving us exorbitant bills for installation,” he said.

In his own opinion, the Landlords’ Association Chairman of Information Village, Mr Olanrewaju Oluwateru described the electricity situation in his community and Akure in general as “erratic” and “epileptic”.

Oluwateru also condemned the unfair distribution of electricity to certain areas in Akure, where he alleged that BEDC officials extort money from the residents.

At Ago Ireti, along Oba Ile road, The Hope also gathered that electricity supply within the settlement had been precarious.

According to the Secretary to the Settlement, Mr Tunji Oluwatimileyin, many a times, there would not be power supply to the settlement for a week and during the new year celebration, there was no power supply as well.

He added that BEDC is a private organisation that is only after profit. “if the license is withdrawn, it is a welcome development, I pray the federal government will do the needful for the future of the younger ones”

Also speaking, Sir Adeyinka Adeyosoye said this has rendered youths jobless, particularly the artisans. The BEDC is the worst in terms of service delivery and the woman at the helms of affair has been unapologetic about some areas of the State without power for years.

A Hotelier in Ore, headquarters of Odigbo Local Government, Mr Tope Ariyo said government should explore alternative source of generating electricity after revoking the license of BEDC.

Speaking with The Hope, BEDC Public Relations Officer for Ondo and Ekiti, Mr Kayode Brown said epileptic power supply in Ondo State was as a result of  poor energy generation from the national grid, saying the company could only distribute the numbers of mega watts accrued to it which depends on what is generated from the national grid.

Brown said that the company is entitled to only nine percent of whatever is being generated converted in terms of mega watts.

“The only generation we have is Omotosho power supply, they are more concentrated in Delta State. These are the people who are responsible for the production of electricity for the national grid”.