Electricity Supply: Edo Assembly Aplauds BEDC
Electricity Supply: Edo Assembly Aplauds BEDC
By Osei Peters
The Edo State House of Assembly Committee on Energy and Water Resources has commended the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) over the improvement in electricity supply, but however said there is room for improvement.
Chairman of the committee, Hon. Yakubu Gowon disclosed this yesterday when members of the committee visited the Benin City headquarters of BEDC.
He also commended BEDC for its quick response to the resolution of the House in which it was directed to restore electricity to Igarra community in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of the State.
The response to the resolution, he said “shows commitment; that shows readiness of the organization to work and that shows your cooperation that you are ready to work with the present State Assembly.
“ I will equally want to appreciate you people (BEDC) in another area, because, I must admit that, fine, electricity supply is quite epileptic, but in the past few months, there has been considerable improvement”.
He told the management team that the House of Assembly was worried by the non-supply of meters to consumers after they have paid for it, while urging for a quick response to the issue.
The committee chairman also expressed reservations over the application of estimated billing for some electricity consumers, saying it is not in mutual best interest.
Noting that estimated billing led to unjustified charges, Hon Gowon also urged BEDC to address the issue of fixed charges, saying it would be of mutual benefit on the long run.
He expressed the House of Assembly’s readiness to support BEDC to effectively deliver services to consumers.
Acknowledging that BEDC has challenges, he noted that a situation where BEDC collect fixed charges from consumers who also pay for some other services is not a pleasant development.
Other members of the committee who spoke at the occasion recalled that the essence of privatizing the power sector was for effective service delivery.
They commended BEDC for restructuring the process of electricity supply to customers through rationing, but however expressed reservations that electricity consumers are made to pay for services not rendered by BEDC.
The Executive Director, Commercial, BEDC, Abu Ismail Ejoor told the committee that electricity supply to consumers is a function of supply and demand.
Ejoor noted that the present electricity generation and transmission is grossly inadequate to meet the demand of consumers.
He said that the supply/ demand gap led to the introduction of power rationing.
While urging the Assembly to assist BEDC sensitise the public on the need to pay up electricity bill, Ejoor noted that “As power generation improves nationwide, we will do our best to ensure” effective service delivery.
