LAGOS  MAY 5TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chieftain and former Delta State gubernatorial candidate, Chief Sunny Onuesoke has explained that the poor performance   of Benin Electric Distribution Company (BEDC) in Delta state is a threat to development in the state.

Onuesoke traced BEDC epileptic power supply, high estimated  billings , abandonment of  their responsibilities to consumers and workers  non-challant attitude towards consumers  as  the cause of  economic under development in the state.

Onuesoke who made the statement while addressing journalists in his office in Warri, Delta State on Friday  said no industry or economic investment can survive in the state with the  epileptic performance  BEDC.

“They are failing us. There is no twenty four hours power supply in Warri and environs.  BEDC should be review.  We should not pretend about it.  There is nothing any Governor in the South South can do about it. If the government depends on BEDC  power supply for development, it will be disappointed,” he warned.

The PDP chieftain complained about BEDC high estimated bill which according to him has killed   small and medium scale ventures in the state.

“The high rate of disbursement of estimated bill is killing  industries and other investments in Delta State. Just imagine pure water factory paying N500, 000 or bottle water factory paying over N1m for monthly electricity bill.  If we want to move this state forward we must review the activities of BEDC in Delta State,” he advised.

He noted that BEDC has abandoned his responsibility of maintaining and servicing his damaged and faulty equipments to customers in a way by   making them to  buy polls, cables and repair  faulty transformers in their environs.

According to him, consumers  have been forced to buy transformers, subjected to all forms of illegal collections and payments through estimated billings by the company.

Hear him, “The  people are suffering in darkness.  Most small business are folding up because of  poor services, epileptic electricity supply and high estimated bills. You could imagine where there is a natural disaster caused by heavy wind,  rain  or flood, BEDC will ask the people in the area to contribute money for replacement of the poles, buying of cables, repairs of transformer and even pay their workers that earn monthly salaries workmanship. Despite all that, the power supply is still very epileptic. The oppression from BED is becoming something else.”

He alleged that BEDC refused to supply pre-paid meters, which customers paid for but still distributed estimate bills, noting that officials of the company were in the habit of disconnecting wires, which they cart away and only supply same upon payment of reconnection fees.

The PDP Chieftain consequently appealed to the Federal Government to evolve an arrangement that will give consumers the right to choose which disco to connect to, noting: “The power situation is very bad.  I had suggested that the Power Minister should put in place a system where consumers can choose  which power company to do business with if one does not work well.”