BY TAIWO FAROTIMI
Edo State House of Assembly received hostile visitors on Thursday. They were residents who came to show their displeasure to a bill before the House on how to stop electricity theft. The protesting electricity consumers who dressed in black and carried placards were led by Civil Society Organisations. They pelted the Anthony Enahoro Assembly Complex with oranges and tomatoes. The protesters were reacting to the bill, which seeks to criminalise electricity theft. The Electricity Theft Offence Bill says that consumers who bypass and engage in illegal connection will be tried under a special court. It is sponsored by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC. The company is expected to supply electricity to consumers in Edo, Delta and Ekiti states.
The protesters could not go beyond the locked gate of the Assembly Complex nor were they addressed by any officer of the legislative house. But they also marched on the streets of Benin chanting solidarity songs. They were led by Omobude Agho, an activist.
Now it was not that the protesters wanted to indulge in illegal connection, but they are angry that such should not be the priority of the electricity company that has been faulted serially for its services. Omobude said, “the issues of estimated billings, poor services and provision of metres must be addressed before any other issue.” He concluded by saying, “this bill is anti-people and must be rejected.”
This is not the first time that the Civil Society organisations will protest poor services by the BEDC. They have even called for the sack of Funke Osibodu, managing of BEDC. There was no reaction from BEDC to the latest development, but after series of protests in Delta, Ekiti and Edo states last November Osibodu at a press conference claimed that the Civil Society groups were up in arms against her company for reasons other than poor services. According to her, the groups were protesting because of moves by the company to end impunity on the part of consumers. Hear her: “Edo State civil society continues to attempt to disturb our operation in Benin and Sapele.
“Some of their problems are that we are dislodging many of them who have been stealing power because of the mentality that they can get away with it.”
She will however be hard put contesting claims of poor services experienced in the states under its coverage. It has faced criticisms from individuals, corporate bodies and government officials, including the Edo state governor. Though no government official addressed the protesters on Thursday, they perhaps believe that the state government will not be opposed to their demand. Governor Godwin Obaseki had demonstrated his anger against the services of the electricity company when some time ago he practically walked Osibodu out of his office for the lackluster performance of her company.