Civil society groups in Edo State, under the auspices of the Edo Civil Society Organisations, have perfected plans to stage serious protests over the planned renewal of the operational license of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, over what the groups described as total failure of the company in its coverage areas of Edo, Delta, Ondo and Bayelsa States.
Rising from a crucial meeting of the groups in Benin where the performance of the Funke Osibudu-led management of the company was reviewed, the groups disclosed that the people have been subjected to all manner of sufferings from the operations and activities of BEDC in service delivery since they took over power distribution in the area, warning that the people cannot continue under the draconian and ‘inefficient’ performance of the company.
In a statement signed by Comrade Osazee Edigin, Public Relations Officer,
Edo Civil Society Organisations, revealed that the many sins of the company to include disrespect for court orders, harassment of customers with police, use of military personnel attached to top flight staff of the company to harass customers on protest by communities when they get disconnected without due process and for debt recovery, refusal to supply pre-paid meters thereby continuing with estimated billing to defraud customers, plunging of whole communities into darkness so as to compel the people to pay whatever amount they deem fit to impose on them without justification or verifiable evidence, high-handedness, indiscriminate power supply at the discretion of the company to suit the whims of special customers, and many other complaints listed by the groups.
Edo Civil Society Organisations, the statement added, shall be mobilizing the people to launch a massive and protracted protests against the renewal of BEDC licence both in Edo state and in Abuja, stressing that President Buhari’s attention must be drawn to the activities of BEDC that has given the government a poor performance in the power sector.
“President Buhari must not renew their operational licence as they lack the financial and technical know-how in the business of power distribution. The protest is tagged ‘Protest Thunderstorm’ and it shall be massive’’, the statement added. (Independent)
