Scores of Edo residents on Monday gathered at Ring Road in Benin to protest persistent power outages and billing practices by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).
The demonstrators carried placards bearing messages such as “We say no to BEDC oppression,” “No light, no bill,” and “Edo people say no to bulk billing.”
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State stopped at the protest venue while passing through the area. He expressed solidarity with the demonstrators and addressed the crowd.
“I was just passing by and saw people gathered here at Ring Road. I stopped to find out what the issue was, and they said you were protesting. I said, yes, we are all youths, and I have come to join you,” Okpebholo told the protesters.
He acknowledged that electricity challenges affected residents across the state.
“When we talk about short-changing Edo people, it affects all of us — our parents in the villages, our brothers and sisters in the cities, and everyone standing here. Why should anyone frustrate Edo people?” he asked.
Comrade Ogbidi Emmanuel, spoke on behalf of the protesters. He said residents across Edo State were compelled to demonstrate against what he described as oppressive practices by the distribution company.
“We pay for light and they give us darkness,” Ogbidi said. He questioned the transparency of BEDC’s free meter distribution scheme and challenged the company to publish the names of beneficiaries. He noted that prepaid meters reportedly cost between ₦150,000 and ₦400,000 despite claims of free distribution.
Okpebholo clarified that BEDC is privately owned and not directly controlled by the state government. However, he announced plans to address the situation by opening up the electricity distribution market to competition.
“The only way we can fight this is to bring new investors into the business of distribution. We will break the monopoly. We want to operate like the telecom sector where you have alternatives. Bringing in more investors will give our people options,” he stated.
Furthermore, the Governor announced that a stakeholders’ meeting would take place on Tuesday at Government House. He requested that the protesters nominate five representatives to participate in discussions aimed at finding lasting solutions to the issues.
“We need to engage them to see how we can bring in more investors into the business of electricity distribution. Once that is done, we will all be more assured of stable power. Let us remain calm and allow the engagement to take place,” he appealed.
