On-the-gross-incompetence-and-poor-service-delivery-in-power-distribution-by-the-bedc-which-has-left-delta-state-in-darkness-the-urgent-need-for-the-federal-government-to-revoke-bedc-license
September 7, 2020 | News
ON THE GROSS INCOMPETENCE AND POOR SERVICE-DELIVERY IN POWER DISTRIBUTION BY THE BEDC WHICH HAS LEFT DELTA STATE IN DARKNESS – THE URGENT NEED FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO REVOKE BEDC’S LICENSE
We have, at countless times, reiterated that the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has demonstrated not to have the capacity, expertise, wherewithal and capability to distribute power supply to its consumers in the various States under them, especially in Warri and environs of Delta State. Vigeo Power Limited is said to be the owner of BEDC, which has Mrs. Funke Osibodu, a former Managing Director of Union bank Plc, as the Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director. BEDC, with an area of wide geographical spread, spanning four states – Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti, has 16 business districts in all. But BEDC have failed woefully in its statutory obligation as a supposed power distribution company since they came on board. And as such, we, and many stakeholders and the Nigerian masses within the States covered by the BEDC, have been demanding that the Federal Government and relevant authorities in the Ministry of Power to revoke operational license of BEDC.
Despite countless complaints by different sections of the Nigerian public living and doing business in Delta State, especially in places within Warri and environs like Ugboroke Layout, Okumagba Layout, Water Resources, Ugborikoko, Essi Layout, Iyara, Edjeba, Alegbor, Uti area, Jakpa, Bendel Estate, Effurun, Ovwian, Ekpan, Otor-Udu, Agbarho, Iwhrekan, Osubi, Otu-Jeremi, Ughelli areas etc., about the deplorable power distribution supply situation in these areas by the BEDC; the Delta State Government has practically gone to sleep, as they have shown no iota of concern to address this overwhelming public complaint.
Whereas, other State Governments under BEDC, like Edo State, are doing what we expect the Delta State Government to do, by putting BEDC at its place – as an incompetent power distribution company that that deserves noting but having its operating license revoked by the Federal Government. Recently, it reported that a mild drama took place at the office of the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, as the Governor walked the CEO/MD of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), Mrs. Funke Osibodu, out of his office for failing to meet obligations to electricity consumers in Edo State and throwing the entire State into darkness for weeks.
This was said to have happened when the Edo State Governor received members of the Federal House of Representatives Committee on Power led by Hon. Daniel Asuquo, who were in Government House, on a courtesy visit. The Governor was surprised to see the BEDC boss, whose name was not on the list of expected guests to Government House, but embedded herself in the National Assembly delegation, to gain access to the Governor, who has been in darkness alongside millions of Edo State residents, for weeks. Speaking to the delegation after Mrs. Osibodu had left the gathering, the Governor said BEDC has continued to fail in collaborating with the Edo State Government to provide stable electricity in the State, instead the company has posed as an obstacle to meeting the goal.
"BEDC has been an obstacle all the way. They will not provide electricity and will not allow you to get alternative sources of power. The State will not allow it,” the Governor said. According to him, “As Governor of Edo State, we have lost confidence in BEDC. We do not want them here. We are in darkness. Let us remain in darkness until we find people who are capable of delivering electricity. This is our position.” The governor said despite the fact that the state generates about 600 to 700 megawatts of electricity, the people are still in darkness, wondering how he is expected to explain the irony to the people, who are well aware that they produce a substantial amount of electricity in the country. He noted that BEDC has failed to recognize that they have to be patriotic and responsible to the state and the country but instead they have been noncommittal about the issue of power distribution.
This is exactly the kind of response that is expected from a State Government who is very much aware of what is happening in its State and people, and is concerned about taking a position to address it. Even the National Assembly, like the Delta State Government, have been ‘pretending’ and ‘playing ignorant’ about this power distribution problem and complaint with BEDC. Despite the overwhelming cries and complaints from the Nigerian public in Delta State, and other States, they have been playing deaf, indifferent and unconcerned about the poor power distribution situation with the BEDC. One begins to wonder if they have something with the BEDC Management that the Nigerian public is not aware of, which might have been responsible for them not coming out hard on the BEDC, especially to have their operating license revoked by the Federal Government.
Whatever the case may be, it is very unpatriotic and unbecoming of any Government, to just sit down and fold its hands while its people are daily forced to live in darkness. How can any Government sit back and allow one power distribution company (BEDC) to hold the entire State to ransom with their gross incompetence and poor service delivery? It simply does not make sense. People are daily complaining about the BEDC and their poor service delivery in power supply, yet the State and Federal Government Authorities, including the Lawmakers, are practically doing nothing to address the situation. Obviously, they would not understand the pains daily faced by Nigerians because the public purse is there for them to provide for themselves a steady supply of electricity. Time and space will not allow us here, to carefully detail the poor and pathetic power supply situations evident in all the different areas states, especially in Warri and environs. But the cross of the matter is that - “we have never had power supply this bad in Warri and environs.” This was not the situation even when the PHCN was still around. At least then, Nigerians in Warri and environs used to have considerable hours of power supply within a day.
The Utorogu Gas Plant Phase One (Utorogu NAG 1), Utorogu Gas Plant Phase Two (Utorogu NAG 2) both in OML 34, as well as the Sapale Gas Plant, Ughelli East Gas Plan, all in Delta State, are producing the gas needed for all the Power Stations across the country. But how come Delta State is neglected by the BEDC in power distribution, especially Warri and environs, which have been left in darkness? Delta State cannot be producing the gas that is used in generating power supply for the country, and yet Deltans do not get the necessary power supply. The BEDC has proven beyond every reasonable doubt that they do not have the capacity and capability to distribute power to the States under them. As such, their operating license should be revoked by the Federal Government with immediate effect. The Federal Government of Nigeria owes it to its citizens, as a national duty, to provide electricity for all Nigerians. It is therefore expected that they terminate the operations of power distribution companies like the BEDC without delay, for their gross incompetence in service delivery.
The Federal Government’s National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is practically an irrelevant body and toothless bulldog that has not been able to do anything to address this subject issue. If you write them, their usual response every time is that you should contact the BEDC Office with your complaint. One begins to wonder why can’t they ask their Office in Benin to take action against BEDC? This shows that the NERC is a clueless Federal Government agency with incapable Management.
The amount of money people spends daily in fueling and maintaining their generators (for those that can afford it), cannot been comprehended. Nobody will be happy to pay electricity bills to BEDC in the current situation in Warri and environs, especially with the increase in tariff for power supply. To make matters worse, countless Nigerians within Delta State, and we believe all the other States covered by BEDC, are yet to be provided with Pre-paid Meters to at least make consumers regulate and correctly pay for the electricity they consume monthly. The usual language by BEDC, when people applies for the Pre-paid Meters, is that they do not have. The same way they do not have Transformers, Feeder-pillars, wooden/concrete electrical poles, and other power distribution maintenance materials in their Office premises. So, it is the Nigerian consumers that are made and expected to pay for the replacement of any faulty power distribution facility operated by the BEDC.
The privatization of the Benin Power Distribution networks in the hands of BEDC is a complete failure because since their takeover, the electricity supply situation in Warri and environs has gone from bad to worse. We therefore urge that the issues raised here should be given the adequate attention it deserves.
Zik Gbemre.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes as if Those Were Our Causes
We have, at countless times, reiterated that the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has demonstrated not to have the capacity, expertise, wherewithal and capability to distribute power supply to its consumers in the various States under them, especially in Warri and environs of Delta State. Vigeo Power Limited is said to be the owner of BEDC, which has Mrs. Funke Osibodu, a former Managing Director of Union bank Plc, as the Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director. BEDC, with an area of wide geographical spread, spanning four states – Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti, has 16 business districts in all. But BEDC have failed woefully in its statutory obligation as a supposed power distribution company since they came on board. And as such, we, and many stakeholders and the Nigerian masses within the States covered by the BEDC, have been demanding that the Federal Government and relevant authorities in the Ministry of Power to revoke operational license of BEDC.
Despite countless complaints by different sections of the Nigerian public living and doing business in Delta State, especially in places within Warri and environs like Ugboroke Layout, Okumagba Layout, Water Resources, Ugborikoko, Essi Layout, Iyara, Edjeba, Alegbor, Uti area, Jakpa, Bendel Estate, Effurun, Ovwian, Ekpan, Otor-Udu, Agbarho, Iwhrekan, Osubi, Otu-Jeremi, Ughelli areas etc., about the deplorable power distribution supply situation in these areas by the BEDC; the Delta State Government has practically gone to sleep, as they have shown no iota of concern to address this overwhelming public complaint.
Whereas, other State Governments under BEDC, like Edo State, are doing what we expect the Delta State Government to do, by putting BEDC at its place – as an incompetent power distribution company that that deserves noting but having its operating license revoked by the Federal Government. Recently, it reported that a mild drama took place at the office of the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, as the Governor walked the CEO/MD of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), Mrs. Funke Osibodu, out of his office for failing to meet obligations to electricity consumers in Edo State and throwing the entire State into darkness for weeks.
This was said to have happened when the Edo State Governor received members of the Federal House of Representatives Committee on Power led by Hon. Daniel Asuquo, who were in Government House, on a courtesy visit. The Governor was surprised to see the BEDC boss, whose name was not on the list of expected guests to Government House, but embedded herself in the National Assembly delegation, to gain access to the Governor, who has been in darkness alongside millions of Edo State residents, for weeks. Speaking to the delegation after Mrs. Osibodu had left the gathering, the Governor said BEDC has continued to fail in collaborating with the Edo State Government to provide stable electricity in the State, instead the company has posed as an obstacle to meeting the goal.
"BEDC has been an obstacle all the way. They will not provide electricity and will not allow you to get alternative sources of power. The State will not allow it,” the Governor said. According to him, “As Governor of Edo State, we have lost confidence in BEDC. We do not want them here. We are in darkness. Let us remain in darkness until we find people who are capable of delivering electricity. This is our position.” The governor said despite the fact that the state generates about 600 to 700 megawatts of electricity, the people are still in darkness, wondering how he is expected to explain the irony to the people, who are well aware that they produce a substantial amount of electricity in the country. He noted that BEDC has failed to recognize that they have to be patriotic and responsible to the state and the country but instead they have been noncommittal about the issue of power distribution.
This is exactly the kind of response that is expected from a State Government who is very much aware of what is happening in its State and people, and is concerned about taking a position to address it. Even the National Assembly, like the Delta State Government, have been ‘pretending’ and ‘playing ignorant’ about this power distribution problem and complaint with BEDC. Despite the overwhelming cries and complaints from the Nigerian public in Delta State, and other States, they have been playing deaf, indifferent and unconcerned about the poor power distribution situation with the BEDC. One begins to wonder if they have something with the BEDC Management that the Nigerian public is not aware of, which might have been responsible for them not coming out hard on the BEDC, especially to have their operating license revoked by the Federal Government.
Whatever the case may be, it is very unpatriotic and unbecoming of any Government, to just sit down and fold its hands while its people are daily forced to live in darkness. How can any Government sit back and allow one power distribution company (BEDC) to hold the entire State to ransom with their gross incompetence and poor service delivery? It simply does not make sense. People are daily complaining about the BEDC and their poor service delivery in power supply, yet the State and Federal Government Authorities, including the Lawmakers, are practically doing nothing to address the situation. Obviously, they would not understand the pains daily faced by Nigerians because the public purse is there for them to provide for themselves a steady supply of electricity. Time and space will not allow us here, to carefully detail the poor and pathetic power supply situations evident in all the different areas states, especially in Warri and environs. But the cross of the matter is that - “we have never had power supply this bad in Warri and environs.” This was not the situation even when the PHCN was still around. At least then, Nigerians in Warri and environs used to have considerable hours of power supply within a day.
The Utorogu Gas Plant Phase One (Utorogu NAG 1), Utorogu Gas Plant Phase Two (Utorogu NAG 2) both in OML 34, as well as the Sapale Gas Plant, Ughelli East Gas Plan, all in Delta State, are producing the gas needed for all the Power Stations across the country. But how come Delta State is neglected by the BEDC in power distribution, especially Warri and environs, which have been left in darkness? Delta State cannot be producing the gas that is used in generating power supply for the country, and yet Deltans do not get the necessary power supply. The BEDC has proven beyond every reasonable doubt that they do not have the capacity and capability to distribute power to the States under them. As such, their operating license should be revoked by the Federal Government with immediate effect. The Federal Government of Nigeria owes it to its citizens, as a national duty, to provide electricity for all Nigerians. It is therefore expected that they terminate the operations of power distribution companies like the BEDC without delay, for their gross incompetence in service delivery.
The Federal Government’s National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is practically an irrelevant body and toothless bulldog that has not been able to do anything to address this subject issue. If you write them, their usual response every time is that you should contact the BEDC Office with your complaint. One begins to wonder why can’t they ask their Office in Benin to take action against BEDC? This shows that the NERC is a clueless Federal Government agency with incapable Management.
The amount of money people spends daily in fueling and maintaining their generators (for those that can afford it), cannot been comprehended. Nobody will be happy to pay electricity bills to BEDC in the current situation in Warri and environs, especially with the increase in tariff for power supply. To make matters worse, countless Nigerians within Delta State, and we believe all the other States covered by BEDC, are yet to be provided with Pre-paid Meters to at least make consumers regulate and correctly pay for the electricity they consume monthly. The usual language by BEDC, when people applies for the Pre-paid Meters, is that they do not have. The same way they do not have Transformers, Feeder-pillars, wooden/concrete electrical poles, and other power distribution maintenance materials in their Office premises. So, it is the Nigerian consumers that are made and expected to pay for the replacement of any faulty power distribution facility operated by the BEDC.
The privatization of the Benin Power Distribution networks in the hands of BEDC is a complete failure because since their takeover, the electricity supply situation in Warri and environs has gone from bad to worse. We therefore urge that the issues raised here should be given the adequate attention it deserves.
Zik Gbemre.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes as if Those Were Our Causes