BUOYED by its recent successful sensitization campaigns in primary and secondary schools in Benin City, Edo State, the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has embarked on similar campaigns in primary and secondary schools in Ondo State.
In a statement by the Corporate Affairs Manager, Mr. Adekunle Tayo, the sensitisation campaign on electrical safety and energy management was aimed at educating school children on the danger of unsafe acts like tampering with electrical installations, living and trading under high tension overhead lines, using overcrowded electrical sockets, stepping/touching electrical wires, among others.
The spokesman disclosed that the campaign, which took place in some select primary and secondary schools in Ondo and Owo towns, would be replicated in all the local government areas of the state.
According to him, some of the pilot schools where the campaign took place are St Patrick’s Mega Primary School, Ondo, St Andrew Anglican Primary School, Owo, St Louis Catholic Secondary School, Ondo and Imade College, Owo, all in Ondo State.
The Head of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project, Mrs. Felicia Nlemoha said: “The campaign will promote safety in the use of electricity at home, school, road, and the workplace and reduce the rate of electricity accidents and hazards among students. The students will become safety ambassadors in their various homes.”
Nlemoha further noted that selected schools would get educational materials from the electricity company which include branded exercise books, wall clocks, and framed safety messages.
In addition to the safety campaign, she said that BEDC would also commence the creation of energy clubs called ‘Joules’ in secondary schools, stressing that the clubs would metamorphose into a debate competition among member schools and winners would in turn become brand ambassadors of the company which covers Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti states.
She further explained that one of the objectives of the joules club is to groom secondary school students to take up careers in the electricity industry to boost the current drive by BEDC and other distribution companies (Discos) to tackle manpower gap in the power sector.
Besides, Nlemoha emphasized that the clubs would also encourage students to take the STEM initiative (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in their career path, especially the females and bridge the knowledge gap in the power industry by educating the students on the entire electricity value chain.
In her response, the head girl of St Louis Catholic Secondary School, Miss Ademukolu Peace, appreciated BEDC for the safety sensitization campaign and donation of educational materials to the school, promising on behalf of other students, to abide by the safety tips and guidelines.
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