Oshiomole Gives BEDC 48hrs To Restore Power To Auchi, Other Communities

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has directed the management of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to restore power to Auchi and other communities within 48 hours. The communities had suffered mass disconnection in the state.

Speaking, Friday, during a meeting with the management of the BEDC at the Government House, Benin City on Friday, Governor Oshiomhole decried the indiscriminate disconnection, failure to deliver power to the people and exploitation of the consumers through exorbitant charges.

“We have had a couple of conversations with you, with your Managing Director and your senior management over the unacceptable deterioration of the services that you provide as a distribution company, and the prohibitive charges that your company imposes on the people of this State and even the arrogance with which you respond when consumers genuinely raise concerns about growing darkness and rising bills.

“It is absolutely unacceptable in a civilized society that because you are a private monopoly, you resort to tactics which are meant to destroy the economy of this State and make life miserable for families and create such confusion that, if not arrested, you will not be able to survive in this State.

“In different parts of Edo State, when protesters raise concerns which you cannot fault, namely that you do not invest in the provision of transformers, and therefore in many cases they are in the dark for weeks, for months, some of them nine months, and even the few places you provide light, maybe three hours a day, you charge bills that are as high as thirty hours a day, and when they protest, you arrogantly disconnect them.

“As we speak, the traditional ruler in Auchi tells me you have shut down supply to that area, and all the businesses there, hotel owners have come to complain.

“In different parts of Edo South, Edo Central, the story is the same. And as the governor of the State, I have continued to appropriate public funds to provide facilities that ought to be provided by Benin Electricity Distribution Company.

“The Government has no business buying transformers which is part of the cost which a distribution company should take on board. We take taxpayers’ money to buy these transformers and with or without power supply, you collect exorbitant rates,” the Governor stated.