Oladipo Airenakho
Some officials of embattled Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) got close to being manhandled last Wednesday afternoon by some angry youths protesting “irregular power supply, arbitrary and unregulated electricity tariffs/billings.”
The incident happened during Electricity Customers forum organized by the Management of the company which took place at Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre in the state capital.
The event had barely started at about noon when some angry youths, led by members of the Civil Society Organizations, emerged and demanded clarification from officials of the company on why they were barred from attending the crucial meeting.
Members of the Civil society Organizations in Edo state had embarked on a protest and instructed electricity consumers under the jurisdiction of BEDC to by-pass their meters in response to the alleged failure by Electricity Distribution companies nationwide to obey pending court order barring them from increasing electricity tariff.
Apparently unsatisfied with the explanations by the armed Security personnel including soldiers and policemen who mounted guards at the entrance to the venue of the meeting, the protesters, began to chant war songs, which led to the abrupt end of the meeting.
At that point, the attendees, staff and Management team of the company, were locked up in the hall, amid heightened tension for hours.
The decision by the Management of BEDC to convey the meeting followed an intelligence report that suggested that some members of Civil Society Organizations in collaboration with electricity consumers in Ondo, Delta, Ekiti and Edo states which are under the control of the company had slated a mass rally against BEDC on Thursday (last week).
After several entreaties by the Security operatives with the leaders of the group to renege, the protesters left the scene and proceeded to the Benin zonal headquarters of BEDC on Akpakpava road in Benin City, where some staff of the company who thought that the battle was over for the day, narrowly escaped another mob attack.
The protesters who wept uncontrollably over the hardship electricity consumers in the various states have been subjected to, however, called on relevant authorities to wade into the situation before it gets out of hand.
Comrade Austin Osakue, Spokesman for the placards-carrying protesters who had their lunch at the main gate of BEDC headquarters, said the security of lives of BEDC official and their equipment may no longer be guaranteed soonest, arising from breach in the rules of engagement between electricity consumers and the Management of the company.
“Even the laws that set them up, they are not obeying those laws. Edo people are saying, we are tired, were can no longer take it. BEDC must go. Funke Osibodu must go.
“If the Federal government does not intervene between today (Wednesday) and Friday, we cannot guarantee the security of BEDC Management and staff in Edo state, he warned.
According to him, “most electricity consumers in Edo state cannot boast of having up to two hours of electricity in a day. People are paying electricity bills, yet, they are getting darkness.
“The latest strategy BEDC officials have adopted now is that, they now use soldiers and policemen to harass people all over the place. They will take fuse. They will cut the wires and you have no recourse”, he said: “BEDC bill is just higher than the national minimum wage.
Motorists and Pedestrians had hectic time in going through the Akpakpava axis of the city, while the gridlock lasted.
Meanwhile, BEDC’s legal officer, Barrister Lucky Ayomoto had at the forum responded to questions from participants.
He said the company can only distribute its own share of power capacity that is being generated by GENCOS.
He stated that the company was unaware of any court order barring it from increasing electricity tariff.
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