A group known as Bring Back Our Light (BBOL) has expressed displeasure with the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) over its continued use of estimated billing in the state.
The group expressed the feeling in a statement jointly signed by Comrades Olumide Akinrinlola and Dare Omopariola, its Convener and Secretary respectively on Wednesday in Okitipupa, and made available to newsmen.
BBOL said that the distribution company had continued to use Estimated Billing System (EBS) on the newly re-connected Ode-Aye community in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The group said that EBS was a violation of the agreement reached by stakeholders in Ondo South communities and the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
Recall that Ode-Aye town was re-connected to the national grid on Dec. 23, 2018 through Niger-Delta Power Holding Company Plc (NDPHC) after 10 years of blackout.
It urged BEDC to issue prepaid meters to electricity consumers in community to forestall a recurrence of pilled-up bills.
BBOL noted that pilling up of bills led to the disconnection of Okitipupa, Irele, Ilaje and Ese-Odo LGAs from the national grid by the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) 10 years ago.
“It has been brought to our notice that the newly reconnected Ode-Aye community is asked by BEDC to continue with EBS which threw the communities into 10 years darkness due to debts that arose.
“The EBS being prioritised by BEDC is a violation of the agreement between stakeholders in Ondo South and the NERC.
“We also implore both the state and federal governments to come to the rescue of residents of this community in order to forestall any breach of peace by the BEDC,” it stated.
Rehabilitation of electrical facilities by the NDPHC has been in top gear to ensure reconnection of other communities in the southern part of the state back to national grid.
