Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on Tuesday, walked the Managing Director of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, Mrs. Funke Osibodu, out of his office for keeping the state in darkness for weeks.
He also accused BEDC of failing to collaborate with the state government to provide stable electricity in the state, insisting the company has posed as an obstacle to meeting the goal.
Osibodu had turned up uninvited at the Government House when the governor received members of the Federal House of Representatives Committee on Power led by Hon. Daniel Asuquo who were on a courtesy visit.
Obaseki, got infuriated when he saw the BEDC MD, whose name was not on the guests list turn up in the company of the House Committee members.
Recall that the governor and other residents of Edo State have been in darkness for weeks.
Speaking to the delegation after Mrs. Osibodu had left the gathering; Obaseki noted that BEDC has continually failed in collaborating with his government to provide stable electricity in the state.
“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.
“As Governor of Edo State, we have lost confidence in BEDC. We don’t 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.
Furthermore, the governor said the electricity company has not been patriotic and responsible to the state and the country but instead they have been noncommittal about the issue of power distribution.
He lamented that despite the fact that the state generated about 600 to 700 megawatts of electricity, the people have remained in darkness and wondered how he would explain such irony to the people, who are aware that they produce a substantial amount of electricity in the country.
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“To assist, we set up electricity committee across the local government areas chaired by the Deputy Governor of the state, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu, with BEDC as member to understand the challenge. But BEDC frustrated our resolve to finding a lasting solution to the issue of providing electricity to our people.”
Chairman of the Committee on Power, Hon. Daniel Asuquo, in his comments said they were in the state for an oversight function on the activities of BEDC and other players in the electricity value chain.
“We are here to see how to intervene to ensure that you deliver on your electioneering promises to the people of Edo State as you are answerable to them,” Hon. Asuquo said.
He pointed out that Edo State consumes half of daily power supply under the BEDC, noting that the state has the highest number of consumers on the network, which makes it critical to engage with the governor and people of the state on the level of service delivery by players in the value chain.