Protesting Electricity Consumers Storm NERC Asaba Public Hearing, Insist BEDC Must Go
LAGOS MARCH 3RD (URHOBOTODAY)-Electricity Consumers in Delta state Monday called on the federal government to sack Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) for extorting and disappointing Nigerians.
The electricity customers openly challenged BEDC in protest at the public hearing organised by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in Asaba, Delta state.
The public hearing was greeted with heavy protests as the consumers shouted, “BEDC must go.”
The participants challenged and disagreed with the presentation of the BEDC and Disco that they were out to extort the general public through outrageous billing.
The electricity consumers lamented that Benin Electricity Company deliberately refused to provide meters for dubious reasons.
It was estimated that 98 percent of the customers in one voice said BEDC “must go” for lack of trust, extortion and betrayal .
The electricity consumers were armed with placards with various inscription including, ‘BEDEC must go’ , ‘we are tired of BEDEC’, ‘no to estimated billing’, ‘enough is enough,’ as they chased the BEDC representatives out of the hall.
The consumers stated that, “We are tired of estimated billing without power supply. We bought everything including wire, poles, transformers as well as pay for installations when damage occured. And now, they are coming to ask for increase in tariff which is the same promise they made when they wanted to increase the tariff to this present one that is operational.
“Instead of improved services, they offered us poorer services, and this time, we are saying no to any form increase in tariff ,” the participant said.The chairman, Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, Professor James Momoh, appealed to the consumers to remain calm, assuring them that their complaints would be channeled to the appropriate quarters.