Francis Sadhere
The Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has resolved to set up a serious investigation panel to look into the allege fraudulent activities of its workers in connivance with some people in Delta Steel Company Estate, Delta State.
The fraud was discovered at a town hall meeting BEDC held with residents of the estate to find solution to the lingering crisis.
Trouble started when between three years- 2010-2013 electricity tarrif within the estate was increase from N500 to N1000 and from N1000 to N1500 and finally to N5500.
It was also revealed that each time there was such increment the residents were never given the opportunity to negotiate but rather, any resistance is met with total blackout as the light committee and staff involved usually switched off the entire estate to compel the people to pay.
Security sources said the bill was definitely exploitative and everything will be done to unravel the cartel behind this shoddy billing system that brought mere two bedroom apartment without refrigerators and air conditionals under R4 which is strictly meant for industrial areas.
According to our source the town hall would have turned bloody but for the maturity and water tight security by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) SP Ademola Adebayo the situation would have gotten out of hands as the residents who are not indebted to the electricity company saw their over one month blackout as attempt to cajole them to pay the N5500 bill.It was gathered that some members of the community light committee with connivance of some BEDC company had earlier, hurriedly shifted the meeting to the hotel to cover up some of their illegal activities and possible fear that some of the residents would expose their illicit dealings to the visiting management staff from the Benin Zonal Headquarters.
Our finding showed that security personnel drafted to the scene working in tandem with the DPO insisted that the town hall meeting that was hurriedly shifted to Beeland Hotel be taken back to original venue DSC school 11 hall where the several hundreds of residents have been waiting for hours for the meeting.
Outcome of the well attended town hall meeting which the staff of BEDC attended resolved that power should be restore to the area within 24hrs just as serious investigation was to commence on alleged missing monies.
