THE Ondo State Council of Traditional Rulers, yesterday, kicked against the renewal of operating licence of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, by the Federal Government.
They described the activities and services of the BEDC in the state as “antithetical to the purpose it was established” even as it called on the Federal Government to consider a better option for good and efficient services.
The chairman of the State Council of Obas and the traditional ruler of Ikare Akoko, Oba Akadiri Momoh passed the vote of no confidence on the electricity company in a statement in Akure, Ondo State.
Oba Momoh said: “The service of the electricity company has fallen short of the hope and expectations of its consumers in the state.
“The traditional rulers in the state decided to pass a vote of no confidence on BEDC over its erratic power supply, refusal to distribute meters as directed by the Nigerian Electricity Regulation Commission, NERC, and failure to energise transformers in all areas within the state.
“BEDC has failed to give efficient services to the people of the state as one of its constituents. The Council has noted that the activities and services of the BEDC have been antithetical to the purpose of its creation.”
“The Council of Obas in the state has been monitoring the operation of the BEDC in the three senatorial districts of the state and the services fall short of the hope and expectations of the consumers”.
Reacting, the spokesperson of BEDC in charge of Ondo and Ekiti States, Mr. Kayode Brown disagreed with the traditional rulers on the renewal of their operating license. Brown said: “It is not in the purview of the traditional rulers to decide whether to renew our operating license or not. It is only the Federal Government that can determine that.”
