… Accuses lawmakers of accepting N50 million largesse from BEDC to push the bill
…Says Roland Asoro refuses to publicly name bill sponsoring organization or institution
…More lawmakers distance selves from bill
…State Government quiet on knowledge of bill
BY ALLTIMEPOST.COM
Activities in Benin City, Edo State capital grounded to a halt on Thursday May 23, 2019 as residents, in collaboration with Edo Civil Society Organizations trooped to the streets in protest against a bill passed by Edo State House of Assembly, criminalizing electricity theft.
The Civil Society had viewed the unpopular bill as lopsided, obnoxious and self-serving.
Edo State House of Assembly, led by Kabiru Adjoto hurriedly passed into law a bill to criminalize Edo people who are found culpable in electricity theft, having allegedly obtained the sum of N50 million naira from the management of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).
“It is no longer a secret of a 50 million naira largess that was given by the management of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company to some lawmakers to expediently pass the bill even as some of them have just few days to exit the house as members,” Edo Civil Society Organizations said in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Leftist Osaze Edigin on Thursday.
Leftist Osaze Edigin, Edo Civil Society Organizations PRO in a media chat during the protest.
The protesters marched to the state house of assembly where rotten tomatoes and mangoes were used in stoning the effigy of the speaker of the house and several proclamations and rejection of the anti- people’s bill were issued.
The protesters later advanced to the government house where they were received by Mr. Ehiozuwa Isaac, MNI, head of service on behalf of the state governor who was said to be absent alongside the deputy and SSG.
Mr. Ehiozuwa told the protesters that the governor was on the side of the people and assured that the state government was also having issues with the management of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company as it stands this very moment.
It would be recalled that Edo Civil Society organizations in several of its Press Releases have kicked against the bill which seek to only punish the masses but ignore penalty for the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, alleged to have deliberately extorted the people for service not rendered.
Also, Edo residents have bemoaned the speed and secrecy that trailed the passage of such a bill without recourse to public hearing on such an important bill that has to do with the people directly.
The sponsor of the bill, Roland Asoro in his press release has refused to reveal the original source of the bill which suggests that the process of its introduction was engulfed in subterfuge giving credence to the fact that the bill was financially motivated.
Chris Okaiben, who is the Chairman, committee on energy and water resources, has distanced himself from the bill, further stating his ignorance of the document. He however stated in his press release that it is an executive bill but refused to comment further.
Governor Godwin Obaseki is yet to make a public statement of his involvement or otherwise in the offensive and unpopular bill as it stands today.
Edo Civil Society organizations has averred that, electricity is on the exclusive legislative list, therefore a state house of assembly lacks the constitutional power to make laws in that regard.
They have also questioned the reason the lawmakers failed to criminalize estimated billing and other extortive operations of the power company amidst the incessant cries of Edo people if their intention is genuine.
Members of Edo Civil Society organizations traveled all the way from Edo North and Central to partake in the well mobilized protest given its importance and urgency to “make our legislature sensitive and responsible towards the plight of the people they represent.”
The issuance and collection of estimated bills must be criminalized and included in the electricity theft law, which is the collective position of all.
In another development, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission was said to have held a consultative meeting in Benin City on May 23, 2019 to determine the methodology on capping estimated billing for electricity customers.
The Coordinator General of Edo Civil Society Organizations, Leftist Omobude Agho in one statement rejected the further issuance of estimated billing or methods design in determining same.
He demanded that all electricity customers must be metered so as to finally eradicate the issuance of estimated billing which is criminal in nature.
