NAN-H-118
Agreement
By Mercy Obojeghren
Asaba, Jan. 30, 2017 (NAN) Residents of Sapele in Delta and the management of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), have reached agreement to provide eight hours electricity daily to consumers in the town.
The agreement was reached on Monday in Asaba at a stakeholders meeting between the State Ministry of Power and Energy, BEDC, National Independent Power Project (NIPP), Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), and other distribution companies operating in Delta.
Addressing the meeting, the Speaker, Delta State Assembly, Chief Monday Igbuya, urged the people of Sapele to employ diplomacy in their agitations, saying no constitution in the world encourages oppression.
Igbuya represents Sapele Constituency in the state assembly.
He described the consistent blackout in the town in the last one year as `disastrous’ to business and the survival of the people in the face of the current harsh economic realities,
He said that the people of Sapele could be likened to someone who cooks and sniffs the aroma of the food but could not taste it.
“To say we cannot lead protest is incorrect. We produce the light and you fly it above us for others to benefit.
“It is cheaper to consume BEDC light than the conventional petrol generator power.
“I think BEDC is deliberately being lackadaisical about the whole matter. What the people need is light and nothing else,’’ he said.
The speaker urged both parties to keep to their own part of the bargain even as he thanked his constituents for their peaceful conduct during the protest.
Mr Newworld Safugha the state Commissioner for Power and Energy read the resolutions of the meeting.
He said the meeting was called to sustain peace in the state against the back drop of the 21 days ultimatum issued by Sapele residents to the Federal Government to restore light in the town.
The Executive Director of BEDC, Dr Abu Ejoor attributed the failure to supply power to Sapele to non-payment of bills by majority of the residents.
He urged Nigerians to be patient with power distribution companies, saying the problem of erratic power supply in Nigeria had existed for over 60 years and improvement should not be expected to be instantaneous. (NAN)
MOA/AEA
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