By Zik Gbemre
It is an established fact that no nation across the globe has ever attained any significant measure of development that has greatly improved the Standard of living of its citizenry, without having steady and reliable power supply. There cannot be any meaningful investment in any sector of the country without reliable power supply. In fact, modern societies, as a result of population growth, requires much energy/power supply to make good transition out of poverty, both for economic and social development. While we are aware that power generation in the country still needs to be improved upon, however, it is imperative to note that some power distribution companies in the country, specifically the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), has demonstrated not to have the capacity, expertise, wherewithal and capability to distribute power supply to its consumers in the various States under them, especially in Warri and environs of Delta State. So, even if there is great improvement of power generation in the country, the BEDC will not be able to perform as expected because they lack what it takes, hence they have not been able to satisfactorily distribute the much power generated presently.
Vigeo Power Limited is said to be the owner of BEDC, which has Mrs. Funke Osibodu, a former Managing Director of Union bank Plc, as the Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director. BEDC, with an area of wide geographical spread, spanning four states – Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti, has 16 business districts in all. But BEDC have failed woefully in its statutory obligation as a supposed power distribution company since they came on board. And as such, we, and many stakeholders and the Nigerian masses within the States covered by the BEDC, have been demanding that the Federal Government and relevant authorities in the Ministry of Power to revoke operational license of BEDC.
Despite countless complaints by different sections of the Nigerian public living and doing business in Delta State, especially in places within Warri and environs like Ugboroke Layout, Okumagba Layout, Water Resources, Ugborikoko, Essi Layout, Iyara, Edjeba, Alegbo, Uti area, Jakpa, Bendel Estate, Effurun, Ovwian, Ekpan, Otor-Udu, Agbarho, Iwhrekan, Egini, Osubi, Otu-Jeremi, Ughelli areas etc., about the deplorable power distribution supply situation in these areas by the BEDC; the Delta State Government has practically gone to sleep, as they have shown no iota of concern to address this overwhelming public complaint. Whereas, other State Governments under BEDC, like Edo State, are doing what we expect the Delta State Government to do, by putting BEDC at its place – as an incompetent power distribution company that that deserves nothing but having its operating license revoked by the Federal Government. We still recall the mild drama that took place recently at the office of the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, as the Governor walked the CEO/MD of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), Mrs. Funke Osibodu, out of his office for failing to meet obligations to electricity consumers in Edo State and throwing the entire State into darkness for weeks.
These were the exact words of the Edo State Governor: “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 do not 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 despite the fact that the state generates about 600 to 700 megawatts of electricity, the people are still in darkness, wondering how he is expected to explain the irony to the people, who are well aware that they produce a substantial amount of electricity in the country. He noted that BEDC has failed to recognize that they have to be patriotic and responsible to the state and the country but instead they have been noncommittal about the issue of power distribution.
Power distribution in Delta State is now ‘selective’. We do not know about other States, but that is the situation in Delta State, especially the commercial city of Warri and environs where we now have a normalized “selective power distribution.” Here, the only way to have regular un-interrupted power supply is to get your home or business connected to a 33KV line, which the BEDC will be very happy and willing to connect once you can afford it. For an individual, a street or a layout to be connected to the said 33KV line, the consumers are usually asked by BEDC authorities to buy a transformer and pay for every other cost of installation/connection and all the necessary items/materials needed. The question now is, will consumers buy transformers for the BEDC to get power supply, and at the same time pay their electricity consumption bills for power consumed? We can see that indeed, the BEDC clearly do not have the capacity and capability to distribute power.
With this sort of practice by the BEDC, it is only the rich and mighty that can afford to have steady and reliable power supply in Delta State, while the rest of the populace are left to manage whatever that is distributed as the supposed normal power supply, which is very unreliable. This has made countless homes and businesses to remain in darkness in most part of the week, sometimes for months in some areas. Not to mention the BEDC’s normalized style of ‘power rationing’ in the distribution of electricity in most areas of Warri and environs. The only other way to have power is to own a generator, and as we know, not every person can afford to own and regularly fuel/service generators for their homes and businesses.
It is very unpatriotic and unbecoming of any Government, to just sit down and fold its hands while its people are daily forced to live in darkness. How can any Government sit back and allow one power distribution company (BEDC) to hold the entire State to ransom with their gross incompetence and poor service delivery? It simply does not make sense. People are daily complaining about the BEDC and their poor service delivery in power supply, yet the State and Federal Government Authorities, including the Lawmakers, are practically doing nothing to address the situation. Obviously, they would not understand the pains daily faced by Nigerians because they can afford to buy generating plants for a steady supply of electricity in their homes and offices. Time and space will not allow us here, to carefully detail the poor and pathetic power supply situations evident in all the different areas states, especially in Warri and environs. But the crux of the matter is that – “we have never had power supply this bad in Warri and environs.” This was not the situation even when the PHCN was still around.
The Utorogu Gas Plant Phase One (Utorogu NAG 1), Utorogu Gas Plant Phase Two (Utorogu NAG 2) both in OML 34, as well as the Sapele Gas Plant, Ughelli East Gas Plant, all in Delta State, are producing the gas needed for all the Power Stations across the country. But how come Delta State is neglected by the BEDC in power distribution, especially Warri and environs, which have been left in darkness? Delta State cannot be producing the gas that is used in generating power supply for the country, and yet Deltans do not get the necessary power supply. The BEDC has proven beyond every reasonable doubt that they do not have the capacity and capability to distribute power to the States under them. As such, their operating license should be revoked by the Federal Government with immediate effect. The Federal Government of Nigeria owes it to its citizens, as a national duty, to provide electricity for all Nigerians. It is therefore expected that they terminate the operations licence of power distribution companies like the BEDC without delay, for their gross incompetence in service delivery.
The Federal Government’s National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is practically an irrelevant body and toothless bulldog that has not been able to do anything to address this subject issue. If you write them, their usual response every time is that you should contact the BEDC Office with your complaint. One begins to wonder why can’t they ask their Office in Benin to take action against BEDC? What then is NERC regulating in the power sector? If the NERC is actually playing its statutory role as regulators of the power sector, then the NERC authorities would have known that it is individuals and corporate bodies that are now made to buy transformers and pay for the cost of installation/connection, and at the same time pay electricity bills to the BEDC. The distribution of power is not only to go and dispatch bills and receive payments from consumers, but it is actually to provide the needed power supply to their consumers in the first place. the duty of the consumers is just to pay bills and nothing more. But here in Nigeria, a lot of abnormal things that are unheard of in other societies, have been taken as normal.
The importance of power generation cannot be over emphasized for any modern society to thrive economically. For when there is more power, there will be more employment opportunities income, high life expectancy, and better conditions/quality of life. Power generation is like the engine, the heart beat for industrial growth and the key for enhanced economic activities of any nation. We cannot move forward or do anything without constant uninterrupted power supply. For instance, the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) cannot survive without steady power supply. To encourage the SMEs, there is need for the government to provide the necessary infrastructure, and no economy can grow without the SMEs. This sector provides a greater number of employments in any economy, and that includes Nigeria. There are millions of Commercial Enterprises operating in the country and this includes: Barber Shops, Hair Dressing Salons, Boutiques, Block molding factories, Recording Studios, Dry Cleaning Services, Night Clubs, Welders (iron fabricators), Restaurants, Corporate offices, etc, all of which, are utilizing an average of eight litres of petrol per day on different capacity of generator sets. This translates to millions of litres of petrol per day, billions of litres of petrol per month and per annum. And with the current fuel price of N143-N145, we can imagine how much we spend as a nation on this area. This does not include the cost of oil change, spare parts and general maintenance of the generator sets.
The amount of money people spends daily in fueling and maintaining their generators 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. To make matters worse, countless Nigerians within Delta State, and we believe in all the other States covered by BEDC, are yet to be provided with Pre-paid Metres to at least make consumers regulate and correctly pay for the electricity they consume monthly. The usual language by BEDC, when people apply for the Pre-paid Meters, is that they do not have. The same way they do not have Transformers, Feeder-pillars, wooden/concrete electrical poles, and other power distribution maintenance materials in their Office premises. So, it is the Nigerian consumers that are made and expected to pay for the replacement of any faulty power distribution facility operated by the BEDC.
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.
Zik Gbemre.
National Coordinator
Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC)
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