By Mabamije
Balogun/Apumami Erhuvwu
There was gridlock at the Ughelli axis of the East/West Road as
protesters from Agbarha-Otor community in Ughelli North Local Government Area
of Delta State barricaded the road over alleged neglect by the management of
Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC that has put the community in
total blackout for over two years.
The placards and leaves carrying protesters with inscriptions, ‘Our
children are suffering’, ‘Delta state government, we need your immediate
intervention’, ‘DESOPADEC please don’t forget that we need light’, ‘It is
outright wickedness for all to keep mute’, ‘Agbarha-Otor has the largest Oil
Manifold in Africa producing oil but we don’t have light’, alleged that BEDC
has intentionally kept the community in darkness for the past two years.
Speaking to newsmen, the Coordinator, Concerned Indigenes of
Agbarha-Otor, Mr Emmanuel Aregbor said, “For over two years now, BEDC has put
the entire community in total darkness and we are appealing to the government
to urgently come to the aid of the community because economic activities have
crumbled in the area.
“Agbarha-Otor has the largest Oil Manifold in West Africa that produces
thousands barrel of oil on a daily basis that feed the nation but it is very
surprising that the community did not have light for over 26 months now.”
Aregbor said.
According to Aregbor, the leadership of the community has made several
appeals to BEDC to restore light but the company has refused us light for no
just cause, hence this peaceful protest to draw the attention of the necessary
authorities.
Also speaking, an indigene of Agbarha-Otor named Lucky Oborayiruvbe said
that, “What is happening to our people in Agbarha-Otor is nothing but pure
wickedness. If Agbarha-Otor could have 40 Oil wells that produce over 11,000
barrels of oil on daily basis and with the dollar rate, the community is
contributing over N9b to the federal purse daily. What stops the community from
getting light?
“Agbarha has the biggest oil manifold in West Africa which everybody can
attest to, we have people representing us at State and National House of
Assembly and nobody is looking into our condition, during election periods they
came and promised us that they will give us light but immediately they were
voted in, they forget their campaign promises.
“The 13 percent derivation given to states by the federal government is
as a result of what our producing communities produce and Agbarha-Otor is among
the communities. In the community we pay the light bill as when due but when
the 33kva we had got damaged; the company would tell us to replace it with our
money or we should call on the government to replace it for us.”
Two women, Mrs Rebecca Udi and Mrs Eda who led the women protest
disclosed that economic activities in the community is nothing to write home
about because BEDC has decided to put them in total darkness, vowing not stop
the protest unless light is restored to the community.
Earlier, the duo of Mr Henry Esosuota and Mrs Ejovwoke condemn the
attitude of management of BEDC for keeping deaf ears to their cries, adding
that they spent over four-eight thousand naira on weekly basis to run their
business.
However, the protest turned violence when a policewoman who attempted to
teargas the protesters, was reportedly attacked by the angry protesters.
However, efforts to speak with the spokesperson of the BEDC in the area
for official reaction proved abortive as her phone was said to be switched off.
In a related development, residents of Afiesere community also in Ughelli
North Local Government Area of the state have condemned the Bulk Billing System
introduced by BEDC where a prepaid meter is attached to all the transformers in
the community.
According to them, it was wicked on the part of BEDC to insist on the
Bulk Billing System instead of providing prepaid meter for individuals,
stressing that it was difficult to access individual consumption and collection
of the light bills.
They appealed to the state government to prevail on BEDC to as a matter
of urgency provide prepaid meter for individuals living in the community to
avoid disruption of law and order in the community.
It could be recalled that Afiesere community, a major oil producing
community in the country has been in darkness for the past three years
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