By Our Correspondent

Enerhen and environs stood still in the early hours of Monday, March 20, 2017 as aggrieved residents that includes shop owners and artisans staged a peaceful protest against Benin Electricity Distribution Company (B. E.D.C.) over bloated bills, inadequate supply of power and outright blackout for a long time.

As early as 6.00am, the protesters who chanted solidarity songs carrying placards and green leaves to signify that it is a peaceful protest came out in very large numbers along Enerhen Road near EVOC and close to the Police Station Junction, they marched along  major roads and streets , their numbers keeps increasing as others joined in the protest against the short comings of B.E.D.C.

Inscriptions on some of their placards reads: “B.E.D.C., stop estimated and over Billing”,  “B.E.D.C., stop collecting money for the Electricity you did not Supply,” “Give us Pre-Paid Meters,” “Light

Bill don High Pass House Rent,” “We nor go Pay for Darkness,” among others. Speaking, Rev. Dr. Ajokpoghene Okijenu JP, Bishop, Praise God Revival Ministry Inc. berated B.E.D.C. for putting the area in complete darkness as there was little or no supply of electricity from the distribution company adding that the people are falling sick and rate of crime is on the increase as criminals now take advantage of the darkness caused by the company to carry out their criminal activities.

Bishop Okijenu JP called on the company to wake up from its slumber by providing the people with pre-paid meters and stop giving residential houses estimated bills that are over bloated running into several thousands of naira .

The out spoken Bishop then called on the Federal and Delta State Governments as well as other political appointees to come to the aid of the people who are already traumatized by the current economic recession in the country, he added, “I am using this opportunity to call on the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal government and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa led state government to prevail on the distribution company to ensure constant power supply to the people to avert rise in crime rate as welders, tailors, barbing and hairdressing saloons, restaurant, shop owners  among other artisans don’t have electricity to power their businesses, they now spend so much for petrol and diesel to power their generating sets. Some of them who can’t cope have closed shops and the next thing could be going into crime. The people are hungry and angry, government should act now as a stitch in time would save nine.”

According to Dr. Okijenu JP, “we are protesting on behalf of Deltans who have been further traumatized by the activities of B.E.D.C who are giving the people estimated and outrageous electricity bills running into thousands of naira without commensurate electricity supply.  We are suffering, the hairdressers, welders, tailors; barbing saloons have no electricity to do their businesses. The recession is biting harder on the people. So many are falling sick, we are now agitated, our elected representatives like Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and others should rise up to the challenge for the people.”

Also speaking, Deaconess Helen Oghasede, a shop owner who sells drinks and cold foods who was almost in tears disclosed that the epileptic operations of the electricity distribution company has almost crippled her business if not that God had been seeing her through, she wondered why the company would send estimated bloated bills when the area is always in darkness without electricity, adding, “B.E.D.C has  crippled economic activities in the area, we no longer have electricity to do our businesses, government should prevail on the company to do what is right, we are suffering.”

On his part, Mr. John Peter Olofi has this to say, “we don’t have electricity regularly, yet at the end of the month, B.E.D.C. sends outrageous bills that are estimated, the company also collects fix

charges from owners of pre-paid meters. These are not good, they add to the financial burden of the people who are already over burdened by the economic recession. Government should act fast to stop the company from further exploiting the people,”