BEDC Must Go: Protests Continues - EDO CSOs
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 distribution company for various policies that are against the workers of the company and of which we have notified them severally but we have not seen anything good from it", a top official of the Union, Segun Babatunde told journalists.
As the Union joined other Nigerians to await the next line of action by the federal government, they called for the sack of Funke Osibudu's led management team of BEDC, noting the company has not justify reasons why the Power sector was handed over to private investors in 2013.
Spokesperson for Edo CSOs, Leftist Osazee Edigin said in the last five years, BEDC failed to provide pre-paid meters to consumers, extend the distribution network, improve customer service delivery and reduce power interruptions as well as deliver stable power to it coverage areas of Edo, Ekiti, Ondo and Delta states.
Meanwhile, the Edo office complex of NERC has been deserted after days of 'occupation' by the activists who have been in the forefront of calling for an end to estimated billings.
However, in reacting to the protests, the company said there is nothing like an ongoing contract renewal for investors in any of the 11 DISCOs that covers the Six geo-political zones.
According to Tayo Adekunle who is the company's Head of Corporate Affairs, the sale of BEDC by BPE to core investors is a once and for all transaction that resulted in 60% acquisition of the company with a long-term licensing and not a 5year license.
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 distribution company for various policies that are against the workers of the company and of which we have notified them severally but we have not seen anything good from it", a top official of the Union, Segun Babatunde told journalists.
As the Union joined other Nigerians to await the next line of action by the federal government, they called for the sack of Funke Osibudu's led management team of BEDC, noting the company has not justify reasons why the Power sector was handed over to private investors in 2013.
Spokesperson for Edo CSOs, Leftist Osazee Edigin said in the last five years, BEDC failed to provide pre-paid meters to consumers, extend the distribution network, improve customer service delivery and reduce power interruptions as well as deliver stable power to it coverage areas of Edo, Ekiti, Ondo and Delta states.
Meanwhile, the Edo office complex of NERC has been deserted after days of 'occupation' by the activists who have been in the forefront of calling for an end to estimated billings.
However, in reacting to the protests, the company said there is nothing like an ongoing contract renewal for investors in any of the 11 DISCOs that covers the Six geo-political zones.
According to Tayo Adekunle who is the company's Head of Corporate Affairs, the sale of BEDC by BPE to core investors is a once and for all transaction that resulted in 60% acquisition of the company with a long-term licensing and not a 5year license.
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