…BEDC is unreliable
– Chief Iduh
By Edo Michael
The people of Isoko nation in Isoko North and Isoko South local government areas of Delta State have expressed serious disappointment and accused the management of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) of deliberate extortion of the Isoko people without adequate supply of electricity in the area. They demanded for the immediate installation of meters across Isokoland in line with the federal government’s plan on meterization.
In a petition by the Isoko Solidarity Protest Against BEDC that was signed by its solicitor and a high ranking lawyer, D.E. Emebuno Esq, the Isoko people alerted all relevant authorities including security agencies of eminent protest against BEDC should the distribution company fails to install meters in all Isoko communities within the next one month.
The petition, which is dated 14th December, 2021, noted that despite their communal and individual efforts to provide transformers, electric poles, cables and other vital electrical gadgets to support BEDC, electricity in the area has remained epileptic and extremely poor. Bad as it seems, the Isoko people further added that electricity bills through the BEDC estimated billing system is outrageous and can no longer be tolerated in Isokoland.
The petition reads in part, “We have been briefed by Messrs: Igelige Morison, John Dollar and Blessed Paris Ubara, Our Clients, the Solidarity Protest Group against BEDC is a body with representatives across all the clans in Isoko land of both Isoko North and South Local Government Areas of Delta State.
“Our Clients noted with dismay the poor, non and zero supply of Electricity to the entire Isoko and in the last one year and we have decided to cry out for immediate attention and restoration.
“Our Clients informed our office that they are pained with the high level of your Company’s marginalization of the Isoko land without consideration to the Isoko land, one of the highest ethnic group that produces the wealth of this country.
“According to our Clients, it is more devastating that your company have failed, refused and or neglected to supply prepaid electricity meters but adhered to extortion by maintaining the old order of collecting bills arbitrarily through estimated bills against the provision of the law, the Electricity Act as amended.
“Our Clients informed us in particular that in the last one year, your Company totally deny supply of Electricity to the entire Isoko land yet your staff supply bills from nowhere and causing annoyance to the Isokos.
“Our Clients further informed us that your failure to supply light has caused untold hardship in the Isoko land.
“Arising from the foregoing we have our Clients instructions to demand for restoration of Electricity supply in the Isoko land and provision of pre-paid meters forthwith.
“Where your company failed to comply with our clients’ demand, our Clients are resolute to make known to the public by creating awareness of their right.”
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When contacted on the position of the company, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of BEDC, Mr. Ibe Amaka said, “I have spoken with the Chief State Head of BEDC in Delta State on the issue. The major reason for epileptic power supply in Isoko and environ is the feeder. As a company, BEDC is working closely with the Governor of Delta State, Sen. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa and the newly appointed Commissioner of Power and Energy, Hon. Jonathan Ukodhiko, who is from Isoko to resolve the problem by first quarter of 2022.”
While appealing to the Isoko people to shun any form of protest, Ibe said “BEDC shall sub-feed a part of Isoko and Kwale to the Abraka 33KVA line to restore power to the area.”
When asked of the issue of over-billing, Ibe explained that there is a robust internal redress mechanism being put in place to address customers’ complaints. He added that at the point of restoring constant power to the Isoko people, a committee comprising some members of the Community Relation Department will be put in place to handle the issue of estimated billing of Isoko Communities. Mr Ibe, however, was silent on the request for installation of meters in Isoko communities.
While commending the Isoko people for the petition and planned protest, the immediate past President-General of Isoko Development Union (IDU) and former Executive Chairman, Isoko South LGA, Chief Iduh Amadhe said that BEDC cannot be taken seriously because the company is highly unreliable.
He called on the management of BEDC to immediately set up a meeting with the Isoko people to discuss and agree on the possible ways to solve the issue of power supply and over-billing in Isoko.
“Before you can get a true picture of the proper supply of power to Isoko nation, you must trace it from both sides; Is it when you take the 33KVA line from Delta four and maybe remove Patani and then take it from Otowodo junction straight to Isoko that you will get a better supply or when you take from Abraka to Owhelogbe and then Isoko at large that you will have a better supply or do we go for the 132KVA line which is stopping at Afisere down to Ozoro, where we have a 132KVA sub-station that was executed by state government and NDDC?
“The 132KVA sub-station is at Ozoro wasting away. What was supposed to be done is to take a line from Afisere to Ozoro. And some of the Power-Line Derrick Poles have been planted from Ozoro to Emevor community. When I was President-General of IDU, we moved some of the items to Emevor Grammar School and they were doing the base from Emevor to Agbara to Afisere.
‘So, to do a thorough job, and offer solution, BEDC should come to Isoko and hold a meeting with the stakeholders if they don’t want the people to protest. And all these things should be written down to avoid deception tomorrow, because I know BEDC very well. I have pursued this electricity thing for so long but the company is not reliable.
“This is a company where if there is a breakage in Isoko communities, it is only the community people that buy and change. Let me use Uzere community as an example. Uzere people pay N1,2m every month and at times they get power only once in a month or don’t get it at all. If you come down and meet the President of the Isoko towns and know what they pay for electricity bill, you will be shocked.
“Uzere spend about N14 million every year but they don’t get the light for up to two or even three months. If there is breakage of electric poles, 33KVA line break, Uzere will replace them. If there is a cross arm or if they want to earth the line, Uzere will do so. Tracing and everything else including changing of transformer oil, Uzere will buy the oil from BEDC. So it is a very terrible thing. You cannot rely on them at all,” Chief Iduh stated.
THE PETITION
