You Have Deviated From NERC’ Guidelines, CDHR Tells BEDC

By Oguns Sammy (Warri)

The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Delta State branch, has tasked the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to revisit the guidelines given it by Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) as the body (BEDC’) has over stepped its bounds by pushing the cost of repairs of damaged electric poles, replacement of stolen materials among others, to electricity cusummers in the bid to supply them power.

The body (CDHR) gave this order on Monday in a copy of release signed by the Delta State Chairman, Comrade Jonathan Giama and the Secretary, Comrade (Engr.) Charles Okwekienye and made available to newsmen in Warri, Delta State.

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The body said electricity cusummers are now forced to repair and or replace stolen or damaged wires, electric poles, transformers, among others, before they are supplied power and failure which, they (consumers) are left in darkness. This, the body therefore condemned in strong terms.

CDHR said BEDC’ erractic power supply to consumers has given room to electricity materials vandals to harp on this opportunity of power outage(s) to vandalise the materials, the action which has put the consumers on guard (security) over the electricity materials to avoid them being vandalised.

The release reads in part: “Power has become a very big challenge to the extent that thieves now calculate the time of power outages, which has made consumers to become security guards.”

Again, the body said the estimated bills which have been agreed to be phased out are still very much in place as many landlords and landladies have become huge debtors.

CDHR added that, some compounds have been indebted to the extent that if their house is sold, the money realised would not be enough to pay the bills that have been accumulated over the years.

It also reads in part: “The issue of estimated bills which have been phased out is much on ground…many landlords and landladies have become huge debtors as a result of estimated bills..”

CDHR therefore.called on the regulatory body (Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission) to make sure that Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC’) abide by laws (regulations) as stipulated on the guidelines, otherwise, there would be a massive protest by the citizens and Human Rights groups in the state to press home their demands.

It said: Tthere would be a massive protest by the citizens and Human Rights groups if BEDC doesn’t abide by the stipulated regulatory laws as stipulated by NERC.”