By Our correspondent in Benin
The management of Benin Electricity Distribution Company has stressed the need for the company and the state government to meet on a round table with a view to fine tuning ways to end power outage Edo state.
The Managing Director of the company, Funke Osigbodu, represented by the Chief State Head, Edo State, Mr Abel Enechaziam said this in Benin while reacting to the 48 hours ultimatum issued to it by the state government to restore electricity to the area.
The managing director said the meeting became necessary because the company worked under a regulatory body.
Duaglobalnews recalls that the state government on Wednesday, gave BEDC and Ossiomo Power and Infrastructure Power Company ltd up to Friday to reach a final agreement on a power generation and distribution plan in the state.
The state Deputy governor, Philip Shaibu,who gave the warning in his office in Benin said that if the company allow government take the initiative and do it its own way, the agreement would be binding on all the parties.
The warning was against the background of legal bottlenecks caused by the suit instituted by BEDC seeking to stop the implementation of the bilateral agreement meant to prepare ground for an efficient generation and distribution of power to the satisfaction of consumers in the state.
Osigbodu said heeding to the state government ultimatum without doing it the right way would undermine the safety of the citizens.
“I want to use this opportunity to clear the air on the ultimatum given to BEDC
“BEDC has always be on the fore front of attending meetings regarding the bilateral agreement we have with government and Ossiomo power plant. But Ossiomo is never present in all the meetings.
“There are over 25 areas we have disagreement but we have bent to allow other issues to go except two major issues injurious to the citizens of the state.
“We need to clear those two major issues which we believe are not in the interest of the people of the state.
“The agreement we are to sign will be signed when these issues are resolved. You can see some lines on Sapele road were lines are sleeping on some lines. That itself is disaster waiting to happen.
“Part of what we are saying is that, these two issues have to be resolved before embarking on that construction.
“The agreement will be signed when this two things happen. That is valuation of the lines to be used to convey power. Valuation of the line through open competitive and transparent tendering process
“The second issue is that, operations and management of this line. They want to run a Distribution within a Distribution and we are saying no but we can allow you to appoint your person to work under the supervision of BEDC,” she said.
The MD said the company had been able to meter 2,500 houses against the 10,000 targeted, adding that it regretted the slow pace in the metering process across the franchise states.
She, however, noted that there had been an improvement in electricity supply to itsfranchise states stressing that it hoped to improve more on it” as the time progresses.”
