Uwvie residents protest against alleged highhandedness of BEDC

By Shina Badmus

The residents of Uwvie Local Government Area of Delta State took to the street to protest against alleged injustice meted out to them by the Benin Electric Distribution Company (BEDC).

It was on Wednesday, July 3 2019, and the residents numbering thousands, converged at the popular Efurun round-about, with placards and banner.

They barricaded the roads to prevent vehicular movement.

Although, the protest was peaceful with inscriptions on the placards thus, “No light no pay”, “BEDC must go.”

The residents said they were not pleased with the way BEDC was giving them power, adding that such pattern was not pleasing to their business and domestic use.  

Some of the protesters who spoke with GbaramatuVoice, said they were paying bills for electricity for months, but there were no power in sight for use.

This was even as they added that they wanted the Managing Director, BEDC, Madam Olufunke Oyabo Osibodu, to be relieved  of her job in their area. 

They added that her continued stay would make power blackout a culture of a sort in entire Warri province. 

While expressing her grievance, a resident who simply gave her name as Madam Rita, thundered, “We need light oh! No be mosquito net. We dey here so nah him dem carry Oyinbo man come remove our fuse. They comot am say we dey owe, how we take dey owe? That nah why we block the road. Make them give us light.”

Some of the motorists whose movements were obstructed expressed their vexations, as they had been in the traffic for hours.

One of the motorists who gave his name as Mike, said he had been in traffic for over 2 hrs, as there was no movement from any part of the roads, due to the barricade by the protesters.

“I am so tired right now. I have been stranded here for over two hours,” he said. 

He continued, “I am heading to the office to get some documents, but as a result of the blockade, I am stuck here.

“The government should do something concerning this light issue in the state, as everyone is feeling the negative impact.” 

GbaramatuVoice observed that there was no representatives sent either by the government or BEDC to the scene of the protest. 

It was however made known by some  leaders of the protest that if they were not attended to by the authorities, they would continue to protest infinitum.