Allafrica Post

Benin City - Following the decision by Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki to walk the Managing Director of the Benin electricity distribution company (BEDC), Funke Osibodu out of his office for failing to deliver on her obligations, electricity consumers in the state have applauded the Governor for standing on the side of the people. The consumers who narrated how epileptic power supply by BEDC is negatively affecting their businesses, expressed joy over the decision of Governor Obaseki to join them in passing a vote of no confidence on the electricity Disco. Speaking with The Nigeria OBSERVER in the Edo state capital, an Hair dresser, Blessing Aghayere said the coming of BEDC brought hope of improved power supply to business owners that depends on electricity to run their businesses. Aghayere added: "Without electricity I cannot do my business, I now depend on generator because I have lost hope in BEDC who only give us light 3 hours a day in my area, that is if they give us...

Benin City - A group, under the aegis of BEDC Franchise States People’s Alliance has challenged the management of Benin Electricity Distribution company (BEDC) to give details of power infrastructures procured, installed or changed "with exact locations" since they took over for verification. The group, in press briefing today in Benin city stated that since BEDC took over the assets of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), they have not added any “discernable “ equipment to what they inherited. Leader of the group, Leftist Omobude Agho said the management of BEDC has a business model that recognises profit alone against the tenets of delivering public utility as crucial as electricity to all citizens irrespective of Political, Social or economic status. "The micro economic bloc (SMEs) which is the bedrock of every economy is being frustrated out of business due to the BEDC greedy and wicked business thrusts”, Leftist Agho told journalists. ...

Abuja - Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) says it will compel the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to comply with it directive to reconnect some communities in parts of Ondo South back to the national grid. Vice chairman, Sanusi Garba disclosed this while addressing protesters drawn from civil society groups in Delta, Edo, Ekiti and Ondo States at the commission's headquarters on Thursday in Abuja. Garba who was in company of top management staffs noted BEDC flouted the directive issued to the company to "immediately" restore power back to consumers in Odigbo, Okitipupa, Irele, Ilaje and Ese Odo local government areas of Ondo state, after 10-years without electricity. "The issue of Ondo south has to do with enforcement. BEDC has not obeyed the order of the commission. "I want to assure you on behalf of the commission that we will immediately dust up all the papers, and make sure the right thing is done", the Vice chairman...

Abuja - The Edo Civil Society Organization (EDOCSO) alongside activists from Delta, Ekiti and Ondo States yesterday rounded off a 2-Day protests in the Federal Capital Territory where they stormed the Headquarters of Nigeria Electricity Regulations Commission (NERC) to demand the sack of the management team of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC). The activists who reaffirmed their stance on BEDC to NERC said the Funke Osibodu-led management has "no business with electricity distribution" due to "highhandedness" as well as failure to provide electricity for consumers after paying bills. The Coordinator General of Edo CSOs, Leftist Omobude Agho said poor service delivery by the electricity distribution company "is killing SMEs" in the franchise states, hence many have resorted to criminality and other vices which he noted fuels insecurity in the area. Leftist Agho who led the groups, emphatically told the NERC team that if "BEDC cannot g...

Abuja - Less than 3-Weeks after the Edo Civil Society Organization (EDOCSO) led other activists on a 4-Day protest in Benin city against alleged planned renewal of the operational license of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) by Federal Government, the EDO CSO on Wednesday in Abuja commenced another round of protest. EDOCSO, a network of civil society groups in Edo state led activists from Delta, Ekiti and Ondo on a protests to the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) and Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, and ) in Abuja where they reaffirmed their stance on BEDC to the Minister, Babatunde Fashola. The activists carrying banners with their message of 'No to the renewal or extension' of BEDC licence informed the Minister of how the company is crippling business activities in it franchise States of Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti with what they described as ‘special lines’ connected to individuals and institutions that pay huge amount monthly as Bills. The group ...

The Edo Civil Society Organization (EDOCSO), a network of civil society groups in Edo state yesterday continued with it protests against alleged plans by the federal government to renew the operational license of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) which expired 31st of October 2018. The Edo CSOs had earlier declared a 3-Day protest March which commenced on the 29th of October 2018 against the alleged plan renewal by Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) and Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). The activists said they decided to continue with the protests after the third day "to give morale support" to National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) who are staffs of BEDC protesting against what they described as poor conditions of service. The NUEE members had on Wednesday commenced a protests with the picketing of the offices and headquarters of the electricity distribution companies nationwide "We are here to picket Benin electricity distrib...