Youths protest long power outage in Edo communities

Youths from Ososo, Ojah, Ijiranmi and other areas in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State protested on Thursday against the eight-month power outage. They said the blackout has ruined businesses and halted development in their communities.

The protesters made their voices heard at the Edo State Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Ministry of Power in Benin. They carried placards with messages expressing their frustration over the long blackout.

Bernard Gomina spoke for the protesters. He said they wanted to bring attention to the suffering of the residents in those areas. He mentioned that despite efforts from community leaders and Hon. Donald Okogbe, who represents Akoko-Edo II, the power issue still stands.

“This protest is meant to bring our plight to the public as we have not enjoyed electricity for eight months. Businesses and commercial activities have been badly affected,” Gomina said.

Another protester, who identified himself as Abayomi, claimed the communities had paid large amounts of money to the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) for repairs. He said the problems were still not fixed.

Abayomi also complained about the high estimated bills they received for the little electricity supply they had before the blackout. He called for a new power distribution company if BEDC could not meet their needs.

Donald Okogbe joined the protesters during their demonstration. He expressed the community’s frustration over the long power loss. Okogbe noted that the affected communities are in both state constituencies in the local government.

He said the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Yekini Idaiye, who represents Akoko-Edo I, would have joined them if he did not have other commitments. He added that if BEDC could not provide reliable power, they should look for alternatives.

Okogbe urged the authorities to treat the power situation as an emergency. He emphasized that electricity is crucial for economic growth and the people's wellbeing.

In response, the Chief Executive Officer of Edo SEBCO praised the protesters for their peaceful demonstration. He promised that efforts were being made to fix the situation.

He shared that the technical team was already on site and assured the protesters that power would be restored by Saturday.

Dr. Shittu Shaibu, the Chairman of the Edo State Electricity Regulatory Commission, also assured everyone that they were aware of the situation and working on a solution.

Paul Osenbo, the Commissioner for Power, spoke to the protesters at his office. He advised them to write down their complaints in a memo. Osenbo acknowledged the challenges faced by consumers across the state and promised that they would be addressed.