Ekiti LG unseals BEDC office, laments poor electricity supply

Authorities of Ado Ekiti local government area of Ekiti State, on Monday, unsealed the premises of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) following interventions of prominent leaders in the state.

The company’s office located at the Ajilosun area of the state capital was on April 27th sealed over the alleged invasion of taxes payable to the council area since 2013.

The development threw the whole capital city into total darkness since last week as the distribution company said they were unable to access equipment to use in repairing faulty technical hitches in the town.

Addressing journalists, on Monday, the chairperson of the Ado council area, Mrs Omotunde Fajuyi, said the BEDC would be reopened tentatively for the next two weeks to give room for the company to pay the outstanding debts.

She noted that businesses and livelihood of residents were being affected by the blackout, saying that the state governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi and the Ewi of Ado, Oba Rufus Adejugbe had intervened in the incident.

Fajuyi explained that the payment of taxes to the council area is a constitutional matter and that BEDC being a private and profit-making organisation should fulfil its responsibilities to the state.

The council boss noted that invading tax is a criminal offence, saying everything legally possible would be deployed to ensure the company pay the backlog of taxes it is owing to the council.

She said, “It is disheartening to note that since the BEDC came into existence in Ekiti State, the company has evaded tax till date in spite of the enormous billing burden they place on electricity.

“With the BEDC arrogance and demonstration of being above the law, Ado Council area on 27 April 2021 decided to seal one of the numerous Offices of BEDC within the council to enforce compliance with our requests.

“On May 11, 2021, a delegation from the BEDC held a meeting with the Council, where the team claimed that they have the mandate of their headquarters to attend the meeting and negotiate on behalf of BEDC.

“At the meeting, where the bye-law was shown to this team, an agreement was reached that BEDC was owing to the LG N10 million only being charges due for the eight years have defaulted.

“BEDC through his team requested for an arrangement to make them pay the money thrice, requesting that a letter be forwarded to their office to this effect for onward transmission to their headquarters in Benin and further requested that their office opened.

“To the dismay of the LG, BEDC instead of fulfilling the agreement reached with the council came up with a letter from their legal retainer, threatening fire and brimstone. Their first letter was followed by a subsequent letter of intention to commence legal action. And the local government on its part is not leaving any stone unturned in ensuring that lawless attitude of BEDC regarding tax evasion is redressed.”

Fajuyi decried that many communities had been without electricity supply for many years despite the exorbitant estimated billing system, which she said is exposing residents to untold hardship.

She maintained that the activities of the BEDC in the state are antithetical to the purpose of which it was established, saying it has failed to meet the targets and demands of electricity consumers.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Ekiti LG unseals BEDC office, laments poor electricity supply

We Have Not Had Water Supply In Months ― Abeokuta Residents

In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state…Ekiti LG unseals BEDC office, laments poor electricity supply