Despite several write ups and complaints by the Nigerian public in Delta State, about the deplorable power supply situation in Warri and environs, which is getting worse day by day, and several calls for BEDC’s operating license to be revoked, we really do not know why the National Assembly, the Minister of Power and the Federal Government are finding it difficult to revoke the license given to the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).
We have reiterated times without number that the BEDC has proven not to have the capacity and capability to adequately distribute power supply to its consumers in Warri and environs. They have failed woefully in this regard since they came on board, and as such, the only option left for the Federal Government and relevant authorities in the Ministry of Power is to revoke the license given to BEDC.
To make matters worse, the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is just there sitting idle without doing anything to address this problem. We simply do not know what exactly NERC is regulating in the Power industry. The Federal Government and the Ministry of Power have not taken the issue of Power Distribution in the country as serious as they ought to. We are not even talking about Power Generation here, which we all know is national problem, but what we are saying here is that the little power being generated is not properly managed and distributed appropriately by DISCOs like BEDC. We strongly believe the Federal Government and the Ministry of Power really needs to fix the issue of Power Distribution first because what is ‘abysmally generated’ is not being distributed properly.
Nigerians living and doing business in the States being covered by BEDC, especially in Delta State, have been enduring countless months of untold hardship and anguish, which still persists, as a result of the poor, pathetic, deplorable and unexplained power supply situation offered by BEDC, particularly in the oil city of Warri, Ekpan, Effurun, Ughelli and environs in Delta State. It is in the light of this that we believe that BEDC must be sacked with immediate effect because the common masses are suffering seriously.
There is no power supply in most parts of Warri and environs as we write this, and the situation has become terribly worst. In fact, we do not even see electricity supply at all. Some areas in Warri and environs, like Water Resources, where power supply is being ‘rationed’ (two days on and one day off), are experiencing even far worst situations of poor power supply by BEDC. The whole thing is like living in a blackout; specifically in areas like Okumagba Layout, Ugboroke 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.
Time and space will not allow us here, to carefully detail the poor and pathetic power supply situations evident in all the different areas of Warri and environs as stated above. But the curse of the matter is that “we have never had power supply this bad in Warri and environs.” This was not the situation when the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) was still around. At least then Nigerians in Warri and environs used to have considerable hours of power supply within a day when PHCN was still here.
Nigerians in Warri and environs in Delta State thought that with the Privatization of the Power Sector and BEDC coming on board, electricity supply will change for the better. Our high expectations was born out of the fact that Privatization, which is a good thing, has a way of injecting new innovations to any sector and transform it for the better. We saw that with the Telecommunication and IT sector, and today Nigerians are better off. Though, the Power sector is more capital-intensive and more demanding, one would have thought that the private companies like the BEDC that took over the power distribution in Delta, Edo, Ondo and Ekiti States, would have the wherewithal and capacity to manage what they have taken over. Unfortunately, that has not been the case with the Power Sector. The poor power supply in Warri and environs for instance, has gone from bad to worse. It is like we have taken two steps backward in improving power supply in the oil city of Warri and environs since the takeover of the power distribution sector by private company-BEDC. Vigeo Power Limited is the owner of Benin Electricity Distribution Company, which has Mrs. Funke Osibodu, a former Managing Director of Union bank Plc, as the Chief Executive Officer. BEDC, with an area of wide geographical spread, spanning four states – Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti, has 16 business districts in all.
The only time the BEDC like providing few minutes of power supply in Warri and environs is when they want to go round the city to issue Power Bills and cut the power of BEDC Customers that are owing. This is no way a responsible corporate company should function. Sometimes we are forced to ask; Why should the BEDC buy over power distribution interests from the unbundled PHCN when it knows it does not have the wherewithal and capacity to adequately manage them? What businessman buys a house it does not have wherewithal and capacity to run and maintain? What is the rationale behind BEDC’s move to acquire power distribution assets from the Government that it cannot handle? If we look at it carefully, we would realize that BEDC is not handling the power distribution zone in Benin with all sincerity of purpose; neither does it show that they are honest with their operations.
It is against this backdrop and the above enumerated prevailing circumstances of the poor power supply in Warri and environs that we urge the Ministry of Power, the National Assembly relevant Federal government authorities and the Presidency to revoke the sales of PHCN Benin Power Distribution zone and re-take it over from BEDC for underperforming. The BEDC operating license should be revoked and they should be refunded whatever investment made in the said zone.
BEDC lacks the capacity and capability to operate and distribute power. If you visit their yard in Warri disturb office, you will not find spare parts of any kind. BEDC does not have spare transformers, electric poles, switch boards to replace bad ones. Even the vehicles they use are the very old rickety vehicles inherited from old PHCN.
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. There is hardly power supply in Warri and environs and it is the common poor masses that are suffering and bearing the brunt. The situation is getting out of control and daily becoming a nightmare. 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. Thanks.
Zik Gbemre, JP.
National Coordinator
