Protests rock Delta over power outage

Protests have continued  unabated in parts of Delta State following power outage and epileptic supply by the Benin  Electricity  Company (BEDC).

From  Warri, Effurun, Sapele to Asaba, electricity  consumers took to the streets calling on the distribution company to  improve its services or leave the state.

They also complained of reduced number of hours of power supply, extortion, estimated and high billings as well as inability to replace faulty transformers  and provide  meters.

They said the DISCO  had refused to buy enough power from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), while deceiving consumers that there is no power.

“This company can afford to supply light  to hotels, big companies and wealthy persons on 24-hour basis but cannot give light to the common people. Our businesses are suffering,” said Madam Philo Omere, one of those who protested in Asaba on Monday.

The Nigerian Tribune  gathered that  some aggrieved and concerned citizens had mobilised and sensitised the people through the media and other avenues, calling for the  mother of all protests scheduled to hold today (Wednesday)  in Asaba, the state capital.

As a result, the state Commissioner of Police,  Adeyinka Adeleke, on Monday, held a closed-door meeting with officials of BEDC and organisers of the protest at the  command’s headquarters.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, convener of the proposed mother of all protests and human rights activist, Victor Ojei,  bemoaned the power situation in the state, stressing that without light, there would no longer be payment of bills.

He urged the electricity company to play its statutory role by providing light to consumers and hold consumers responsible if they fail to do the needful.

The head of the company in the state, Mr Fidelis  Obishai, who was moved to Asaba due to the  crisis, expressed gratitude to the police boss for the meeting, adding that the company had started to address the issues raised by protesters.

While revealing that BEDC is only entitled to  nine  per cent of power shared in the country which, he said, is not enough for the four states it covers, Obishai  disclosed that  five vendors have been selected to provide pre- paid meters to consumers.

He promised that management would investigate allegations of extortion whereby consumers are made to pay high amounts for transformers even as he urged electricity users to pay their bills regularly.